Baek Seung Jo's Thoughts
by TheMidwestJess
Summary: A series of scenes told from Baek Seung Jo's point of view.  I'm really looking forward to writing some of the later episodes' scenes.  Hopefully I'll get through a lot!  Rating may change.
1. Episode 1: The Reply

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Playful Kiss" although I wish I did, then it would have another season... and it might be slightly more... lemony... :D**

**A/N: This is just a collection of what I think Seung Jo would be thinking during some of the interactions in the episodes. I'll name the episode and which scene each drabble is from. To the story now! :D**

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><p>Episode 1: The Reply<p>

"I wasn't expecting a reply. Thanks." The girl has a goofy smile on her face as if she's flattered. She's about to be crushed. "Should I read it now? Right here?" I nod. What else can I do?

As she opens the letter, I wait for the reaction I know is coming. She's going to be hurt that I didn't write a mushy letter back. This girl just needs to get it in her head, though, that I have no interest. What better way to make it stick than make it public?

When the other girl grabs the paper from her hands and starts reading it, Oh Ha Ni seems rather quiet. I thought she would at least say _something._ I was wrong, though. I guess she's just weird.

Then that one boy comes in, all angry and pumped-up. What's his name again? Bong Joon Gu. Right. He's in the same class as Oh Ha Ni. "What the hell are you doing?" he says. He reminds me of a rooster, with a body full of testosterone and hair like that. Or Elvis. As he grabs the letter and starts reading, I speak.

"It's unfortunate this happened. But-" I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing. I know this is hurting Oh Ha Ni, but I don't really seem to care.

"But?" says her friend.

"But what?" says the other.

I look straight at Oh Ha Ni. Her eyes make contact with mine. "I absolutely hate stupid girls," I say. I turn to walk away because I honestly have nothing else to say.

All of a sudden I hear, "Where the hell are you going?" and turn around to find Bong Joon Gu glaring at me. He walks over and points to Oh Ha Ni. "Apologize," he says. Is he serious? No one can command me to do anything, let alone him. The thought alone is actually rather humorous. "You're laughing?" he says, looking incredulous. "Is this funny to you?"

The humor is wearing off a bit. I'm getting bored. "Do you mind moving?" I ask. I start to move away, but he stops me.

"Are you deaf? I told you to apologize!" He must really like this girl. I can't imagine why. Perhaps it's because he knows he won't accomplish anything in life either. When I think about it that way, it kind of makes sense. But still. Regardless, the humor is back. I can feel a smirk start to form on my face.

"What do I have to apologize for? For correcting her mistakes?"

"This little bastard," he chuckles. I guess he can't believe someone like me exists. He's yelling at me now. "Hey, hey, hey!" He's got my attention now, if only because I'm curious what he'll try and do. He starts waving the letter in my face. "Do you only see mistakes in this? You should be looking at the substance of it, not the words. The feelings she put into it." This makes this whole thing even funnier. Feelings? He should know I don't care about feelings. Not hers anyway. Or anyone else's in this room. He notices the smile on my face. "You punk. You're going to keep on doing that, huh?"

He hands the letter off to someone and starts primping himself like he's going to try to fight me. "Let's do this," he says. This just keeps getting better and better. "Don't just stand there. Come at me," he says. Why would anyone do this much for someone else who isn't even family? I can't begin to understand it. And why would he choose her out of all the girls at this school? There are definitely ones that are prettier. They don't really appeal to me, but I've heard others say they're nice-looking.

I'm not surprised when he interrupts my thinking with an attempted punch. It was too easy to see coming. And yet he's still surprised that I avoided it. One would think that by this point he would understand that I just have no interest in whatever it is we're doing right now. He starts cackling like a hyena. "Did you see that?" he asks anyone who's listening. "What? Scared? Are you scared?" He keeps pecking the air around me like some sort of bird. I'm thinking more and more that he's a rooster in disguise. Or maybe he's epileptic and he's having a seizure. "Hey, come on, bring it! You scared?"

Students start to clear a space when they hear an angry, authoritative voice ask, "Bring what?" The vice-principal walks out with an infuriated look on his face. "Bong Joon Gu, you! Come into my office right now!" He waves a big stick around. It reminds me of Teddy Roosevelt.

"But vice-principal, that isn't it. Please hear me out!" Bong Joon Go is pleading. This is just too good.

"Listen to what?" the man says. He turns to me and a smile slides across his face. His whole disposition changes when he addresses me. He says, "Seung Jo, don't worry about this and just go study." Little does he know that I never do. "Don't hang around with this fool." At this point, said fool is fixing that hair of his. How does he think that looks attractive? Does it just attract other stupid people? Well, no. It can't work like that, because _he's_ not the one Oh Ha Ni gave her love letter to.

I point to the chart with the grades on it and start explaining the way the grades are laid out. I look straight at Bong Joon Gu when I say the next part. "You guys are violet. You are the bad apples of the school. That's what the principal said." The vice-principal looks flustered but I continue. "There are 50 spots for study hall this month. They're just numbers. But I'm sure you realize that those numbers represent the top 50 students, right?" I glance over my shoulder at Oh Ha Ni. She looks pathetic. "I don't know how you can sit there laughing writing such useless things when that list is right there." I ask the next question just to dig in deeper. "Are you stupid or just thick-skinned?" She bites her lip at that remark. "Regrettably, whether a girl is stupid or thick-skinned, I hate them."

Oh Ha Ni looks absolutely battered. Good. Maybe now she won't bother me anymore. I walk off up the stairs honestly not caring what she's thinking.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello everyone who actually read this! First of all, thank you! You don't realize how much I appreciate it. Second, I would just like to say that I didn't have as much fun writing this one as I think I will writing some of the others. I'm really excited to do other scenes, but I wanted to do at least one from each episode, so I started with this one. It actually turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be. Third, I put the Teddy Roosevelt reference in there mainly because I know Baek Seung Jo is definitely well-read. So it wouldn't be a stretch that he would know a quote by him. **

**Anyway, thanks again, and please don't forget to review! I would like to know if anyone actually cares enough to read more. I'll be trying to upload another one either tonight or tomorrow. **


	2. Episode 1: The Bet

**Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Baek Seung Jo or anyone else in Playful Kiss or even the show itself. :'(**

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><p>Episode 1: The Bet<p>

"Hey, hey, you over there! Class 3-1's Baek Seung Jo." Oh great. Moron of the decade is back. I turn. Somehow, he's attracted a crowd. Not surprising, considering the things that fly out of his mouth. "Didn't you see the news yesterday? Don't you have a TV at home? Whose fault do you think it is that Ha Ni is going through such difficult times?" Is this guy serious? "Just going to walk off shamelessly?"

How can this guy be for real? I know Bong Joon Gu is an idiot, but really? "Wasn't it because of a mild earthquake of 2.0 magnitude?"

"Right, right," he says. He seems to be gathering his thoughts. I guess he's decided what he wants to say because he starts walking down the stairs towards me with that stupid microphone up at his mouth. "But what do you think about a newly constructed house collapsing due to that mild earthquake?"

"Are you saying that I caused the earthquake?" I ask him. I mean it's unfortunate for her and her family, but why care when it doesn't affect me?

"But what could be a bigger earthquake than that of the heart?" he asks me. "You've caused so much pain to a person's heart that something this small has gotten this big!" Wait. What? I have a feeling he's trying to make a point, but he's just sounding too stupid for even me to follow. I'm getting tired of this.

"Alright," I say. "All I need to do is put up some money, right?" I reach for my wallet.

"That's right," Bong Joon Gu confirms. I believe he thinks he's won. His goons start walking towards me with their boxes as I pull out some bills.

All of a sudden, I hear her voice again. "Put it away!" She walks out timidly from behind a pillar, but her voice is anything but timid. Curious. "Did anyone say they'd take your money?" she asks me. "Even if I have to beg, I won't take your money!"

"Oh really?" I ask. This girl may be stupid, but at least she has some pride. "Fine, I'll respect it." I slide my bills back into my wallet. As I start to walk away, though. There comes that pesky voice again.

"Hey, Baek Seung Jo!" I turn around to find her with a glare one her face hard enough to turn Medusa to stone. "What makes you so mighty that you can ignore people like this? To you, all the kids here look like idiots, don't they?" Well, I can't disagree with her there. "Idiots that can't say a word back to you despite how much you look down on them!" This is actually kind of interesting. She's challenging me. No one does that. "Are you just that much better?" she asks me. "Why? Because you have a high IQ? Because you get good grades, have a handsome face, and are tall. . ." Isn't she trying to stand up to me? She's letting her liking for me show through. She's dumber than I thought.

She looks at the ground for a moment when she realizes what she said. Then she gathers that courage again and trudges on. "Is everything just dandy if you're better than others?" The whole group cringes at that. She continues. "Hey, I can just study and get good grades. Who couldn't? I choose not to study. Do you think it's because I can't?"

This has me interested. Who does she think she's kidding? She's not smart enough to even know how to study. I ask her, "Really?"

"Yeah," she replies. She's getting pretty cocky here. Let's put it to the test.

"Then show me," I say.

"What? Show you?" She's getting timid now. She didn't think I'd call her on her bluff. I nod. She gets a sudden burst of confidence again and says, "Okay, fine. I'll show you." She thinks for a moment. "What about the next exams?"

It seems like the people around us are thinking the same thing I am. How in the world can she possibly do that? I don't think she can, but I'm going to challenge her. I'm not sure why, but I almost want her to prove me wrong. "How much?" I ask her.

"How much?" She thinks for a moment. She seems to come up with an idea. "Right!" she says. Study hall."

"Study hall," I say. She can't mean what I think she means. "This month's study hall?"

"Yeah!" She seems determined now. "That high and mighty special study hall for this month! Next month, I will get in there." I feel that smirk start to creep onto my face again. "Are you making fun of me again?" she asks indignantly. Then she gets a curious look on her face. "If I do? What will you do if I do?" she challenges.

"If you do?" I ask.

"Yeah!"

This girl is just asking to be humiliated. I'll at least give her something to look forward to. "If you do, I'll take a lap around while holding you on my back." She gets this coy little smile on her face then shakes her head and puts back on her uncaring mask as if she's chastising herself for thinking something.

"Fine," she quips. "I look forward to it." I knew it. This is going to be good.

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><p><strong>AN: I actually had fun writing this one. It's fun for me to try to stay in character while still adding humor to Baek Seung Jo's thoughts. And I actually had to tweak the dialog at one or two points because I think the subtitles on Netflix got translated wrong. But it happens sometimes.**

**Anyway, don't forget to review! It is much appreciated. :D**


	3. Episode 1 to 2: This is WHOSE House?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Playful Kiss or the stunningly gorgeous Baek Seung Jo . . . unfortunately.**

**A/N: Just a quick note: There are some parts of scenes that I will add a little extra information, like in this scene when Baek Seung Jo is messing with something. I couldn't tell exactly what it was, so I called it a picture frame and wrote a small back story to it. But I promise, I won't tweak anything major! :)**

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><p>Episodes 1-2: This is <em>Whose<em> House?

"Should I help you?" I ask her. Her back is still to me and she has some more bags to bring in. And what is that thing she's holding?

"No, it's alright," she says. She's turning around as she says it. As soon as she sees me, she gasps and thrusts herself back against the van. How melodramatic. Her mouth is wide open and it looks like she's holding—is that a teddy bear? She blinks hard and shakes her head. Next thing I know, she's slapping her own cheek. Maybe she has a mental disorder? All of a sudden she finds her voice. "_You!_ Why are you coming out from there?" She's really flustered, I can tell, but is she really that dense?

"Because it's my house," I tell her. Why else?

We hear my mother over the intercom calling us in. "Baek Seung Jo," I glance over to the intercom, even though there's no need to. " why aren't you coming in?" Oh Ha Ni's mouth drops open again, her finger still in the air. "Ha Ni, come in quickly," my mother says. I turn my head back to Oh Ha Ni. I know there's probably a bored look on my face. It's there for good reason. She gasps then. I tilt my head to one side. I have to agree with her. This is one strange hand the fates have dealt us. I start to walk inside.

At the last moment, I turn back. "Want me to carry it?" I ask her. She shakes her head furiously. I remember earlier. "Oh, you said you wouldn't accept my help even if you had to crawl and beg, right?" Oh, the irony. I head towards the house where my parents are waiting.

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><p>Back in the house, my family and hers are sitting in the living room while the adults all talk and gush about how good it is to see each other. I grab a picture frame off the side table to have something to do until this pointless meeting comes to an end. The picture is of Baek Eun Jo and I when we went on a camping trip last year with our parents. I taught him how to pitch a tent that night. Him and I stayed out half the night catching bugs.<p>

I notice my mom talking to Oh Ha Ni, but I don't really care enough to try to listen to what they're saying. They're obviously talking about me in some way. Mom keeps blatantly gesturing my way, although I pretend not to notice.

One thing I do notice, however, is my little brother walking down the stairs carrying a school book in his hand. Mom asks him, "Baek Eun Jo, you weren't asleep?"

He looks at her calmly and announces, "I was studying."

"Why?" asks my mother. That's a dumb question. Why does anyone study? She says, "Then you might become like your brother." I don't see the bad part, but whatever. "Say hello," she tells him. Then she goes on to explain to Oh Ha Ni's father, "He's our second child. A bit young, isn't he?"

My father decides to contribute to the conversation. "He's in fourth grade," he says.

"Hello, I'm Baek Eun Jo," my brother greets her father. Eun Jo is one of the few people I actually care for. He's very smart like me, and he knows what's going on unlike some kids.

"Oh, he looks quite clever," Oh Ha Ni's father announces. See? Other people know it too. He continues. "Hey, they both look like their mother! Thank God for that!" Yes. Thank God for that. I would hate to have my father's receeding hairline. His comment makes the girls giggle.

"Right?" my mother asks. I guess she agrees that looking like her is a good thing. I guess I do too. She starts talking to Eun Jo. "Say hello to Noona too," she says. "This is Ha Ni Noona. Oh Ha Ni."

Oh Ha Ni waves at Eun Jo. "Hi," she says. My brother just stares blankly at her. I can tell he's sizing her up.

"You're not greeting her?" my mother asks Eun Jo. She seems surprised.

"I don't want to," he answers simply. My mother looks shocked and offended as if she was the one the remark was aimed towards.

"Why?" she asks demandingly.

"She looks dumb." I knew this kid was smart. Mother gets up and knocks him on his head with her knuckles while everyone laughs nervously to disperse the tension.

"I'm sorry," she says to Oh Ha Ni and her father. "He must be going throught puberty." Yeah, mom. That's it.

Oh Ha Ni smiles despite the fact that she's just been insulted by a child. "No, it's okay," she insists.

My mother turns to Eun Jo again. "Why would she be dumb? She's very good at studying."

His face lights up like a lantern. "Really?" he asks. "Then," he starts walking over with his school book. "What does this mean?" He points to something on the book. I can see the back of it and see that it's Chinese. This will be interesting.

"Oh, Chinese," she says. I can tell she's trying to size up how difficult this will be. She's probably thinking it will be easy even for her simply because Eun Jo is still in elementary school. I can't wait to hear what she's going to tell him. "I see you are studying Chinese characters. Let's see." She stares at the page with a look of heavy concentration covering her face. She flips the book to see the cover. "This is for sixth graders," she says bashfully. I'm still waiting to see what she comes up with. "Oh," she mumbles.

"Han Woo Choong Dong," my mother helps her. "You want to know what it means?" No, mom. He just wants to hand her the book. Yes, he wants to know what it means.

"That's right," Oh Ha Ni quips. "'Han Woo Choong Dong.' The meaning of this-" Her father tries to help her out, though he's not very discreet about it. She's not sure, so she goes on. "So." She pauses. I glance up at her from looking at the picture. I notice her eyes were searching for me. Maybe she was looking for help. I doubt it though. One thing I've noticed so far is that she does have pride, even when she lacks brains. Then she gives me the answer I've been waiting to hear.

"Korean beef," she states. Oh this is going to be good. "You know how Korean beef is really good, but it's expensive. So you have no money. You have no pocket money." Where is this going? I know she's getting it all wrong, but she's too dumb to realize it. "Urge! You have an urge to eat Korean beef. So in other words, you're thinking of something beyond your capabilities. That's it." That makes me smile a bit. How can she be that stupid? And why not say she just didn't know?

Everyone is laughing except for me and Eun Jo. He asks me, "Is that true, Hyung? it means you have the urge to eat Korean beef?"

"'Han' from sweat, and 'Woo' from cow," I say. Oh Ha Ni starts to lower her head. She had to have known I'd correct her. Why did she make this even more embarassing for herself by pretending like she knew? "If you make a cow pull a wagon, it sweats. 'Choong' from plentiful, and 'Dong' from pillar. If you stack them, they'll reach the top of the pillar." Her head keeps getting lower, but her eyes keep looking around at everyone but me. She's definitely ashamed. "In other words," I continue, "it means there are an innumerable amount of books." Oh Ha Ni bites her lip as Eun Jo looks over at her.

"Are you stupid?" he asks her. She looks up like he could be talking to someone else.

"Baek Eun Jo," my father says sternly, "you have no manners. Hurry and apologize."

"I don't want to," Eun Jo replies. "I won't. I hate idiots!" He grabs his book back from her and makes a face at her. Yes, the face was a bit overkill, but he will learn.

Oh Ha Ni has just been shocked into silence. Thank God.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! I think I'm having more fun with each one of these that I write. I really enjoy writing form Seung Jo's perspective. I don't normally write characters who have displeasing personalities, so this is also good practice for me as well as it being a breath of fresh air. **

**I just wanted to say one thing. Please review if you read this! I've had over 45 people look at this story since I posted it less than 24 hours ago, and I still only have one review. You may not realize how important they are, but reviews really encourage writers. Constructive criticism is fine too. I just want to know your thoughts on this.**

**Please and thank you!**


	4. Episode 2: Short Legs

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately don't own Playful Kiss... :( Although I wish I did, because then Seung Jo could be mine forever! :D**

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><p>Episode 2: Short Legs<p>

"Slow down!" I hear her feet pounding the pavement behind me. The next thing I know, I'm being shoved downhill with a shrill "Eeep!" in my ear. "How could you just stop so suddenly?" she asks. Easy. Don't put one leg in front of the other.

"It's just for today," I say, staring straight ahead. I'm not sure whether I'm reassuring her or myself.

"What?" she asks me. I can't have this be an every day occurance. Just because she's freeloading off of us doesn't mean we have to be buddies. I don't even think we could be friends. She's too annoying. And stupid. And clumsy too. If people knew she was living with us, they might start to think I have feelings for her.

"If someone sees us leaving for school together," I glance at her. "it's going to be bothersome again." She gripes indignantly.

"I got it," she mumbles dejectedly. She starts to walk away with her head lowered.

Before she gets too far, I remind her, "Don't spread rumors." She stops and turns.

"I won't!" She seems offended that I'd suggest such a thing.

Just so we're clear, I tell her, "Don't even act like you know me at school."

She does a slight spazzing motion. "I said I got it!"

I turn away from her and start meandering my way to school. "Follow me from a farther distance."

I can feel her stare on my back as I walk away. She mumbles something I can't hear. Then she says something else loud enough for me to hear. "Stupid jerk!" She then continues mumbling away. She's going to be late if she doesn't hurry up.

I hear her start to walk and I take a glance at her. She's either doing some sort of dance or she's pretending to fight me in another one of her fantasies.

I don't have fantasies, do I? Sometimes I think about what it would be like if I wasn't so smart. Maybe I would actually like Ha Ni. I picture her face in my head. She has a few features that are nice, but all together and with her personality, I don't think it's possible even if I was stupid too. I feel her bump into the back of me as I realize I've slowed down towards the end of the street. Oops. I guess I wasn't paying much attention. She stands there rubbing her forehead.

"What are you mumbling about?" I ask her.

She glances up at me. "None of your business," she says defensively. It must have been about me. She's thinking about me again? And why is she staring up at me with those sleepy eyes like that? Did she not get enough sleep last night?

She stares at me waiting for me to respond. "What?" she asks. She gives me elevator eyes as if sizing me up. I think she thinks I was judging her. Well she's right. "You told me to back off, so why are you waiting?"

"Waiting?" I ask. I'm not waiting. I just got distracted thinking . . . about her. That sounds bad. I was just wondering if I found her pretty or not. Okay, that still sounds bad. "You walk ahead," I tell her.

"Why?" she asks me. She probably thinks I'm going to trick her and leave her. "Why? Why do you keep changing your mind?"

Why do I want her to walk ahead? Mother pointed out this morning that she didn't even know the way to school from here. "Your legs are short." Yeah, that's it. She jumps back as if I've slapped her. She glances down at her legs. "Isn't it hard to keep up with me? Don't blame me if you lose me and you're late for school. You walk ahead and I'll watch from behind." That sounds bad too. Why am I being like this? I must be sick or something. I'll ask for some herbal tea when we get home today.

She looks suspicious, but she starts trudging ahead. After waiting a moment, I continue on as well. Before I can get far, however, I spot someone in the bushes. He looks really suspicious. And sort of creepy. He's wearing a long trench coat with big, dark sunglasses. He's peering out from behind the plants as if watching someone. Then he sees me looking at him and acts as if he wasn't doing anything and walks away. Odd, I think to myself. What would he be doing? I start walking to school before I'm late. I've completely lost sight of Ha Ni, but at least I know where I'm going.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! I know this is a rather short scene, but I thought it was an interesting one and at least in my mind, it plays a vital role in Seung Jo's and Ha Ni's relationship within the first few episodes mainly because it's one of their first conversations alone.**

**Please send more reviews my way, and I will update really soon. Maybe later today. I'm really excited for the next scene. Or maybe it's the one after. I'm not sure. **

**Anyway, let me know if there's a specific scene you want to see! I am really open to suggestions. And I think I might be adding in scenes that weren't in the show. Nothing with Ha Ni, but maybe Seung Jo just sitting in his room or talking to Eun Jo. I think there's a lot of Seung Jo that the show never showed us.**


	5. Episode 2: Scarred for Life

**Disclaimer: I really really really really wish I owned Playful Kiss... Mainly Seung Jo. And Oh Ha Ni. Because then it would MOST DEFINITELY have another season. But, sadly, that is not the case. Anyway, ONWARDS TO THE GENIUS PESSIMISM THAT IS SEUNG JO!**

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><p>Episode 2: Scarred for Life<p>

Should I have waited for Ha Ni? She seemed like she wanted me to. What would I have done, though? Waited for Bong Joon Gu to get shooed away? That would have taken a lifetime. Heck, it still hasn't happened.

Mother walks into the living room carrying bowls of fruit for Eun Jo and I. I bet she'll have some too. I feel her gaze as she sits down and watches me read my book.

"Why didn't you guys come together?" she asks me.

"I'm sure she'll be here," I say. Ha Ni is at least smart enough to get home on her own.

Mother is irritated. "She's not very familiar with this neighborhood yet! Recently there's been strange people around this neighborhood." I think back to this morning after Ha Ni started walking ahead. That man. Is that what she means by strange people?

Eun Jo pipes up from his book. "Oh Ha Ni is the weirdest one." I can't say I disagree.

Eun Jo starts clambering away as mother runs after him. "You come over here!" she yells. "Come over here! You need to be hit! Hey! Beak Eun Jo!"

I'm still thinking about that man from this morning. He really did look strange. I don't know if he would be dangerous, but no one goes around with big, dark sunglasses and a trench coat peeping out of bushes. At least not normal people. I go outside and sit on the steps.

Maybe I should go look for her? It has been a long time since I left her at the school. Far longer than it should take to walk home. Even if nothing happened, she may have gotten lost. I sigh. "How annoying," I mumble to myself.

I stand up and go inside to tell mother I'm going to look for Ha Ni. She smiles and looks up at me from her position on the couch. "Good," she says brightly. "You might want to pick up a snack while you're out too. She may be hungry."

I head outside and start walking in the direction of the school. I have an odd sort of feeling in the pit of my stomach. It's almost like a rock. It's making my body so heavy that my heart has to beat faster just to keep me going. At least, that's what it must be. I know my heart doesn't normally beat like this.

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><p>Before I get to the school, I pass a small convenience store. My mother's words echo in my head. 'You might want to pick up a snack while you're out too. She may be hungry.'<p>

I walk into the small store and peruse the aisles. I don't really see any food that looks good. I do, however, see some tea that looks yummy. She can eat food at home, I think, but we don't have tea like this at the house. I grab two of the teas and pay for them at the register. She's probably thirsty after walking around for so long.

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><p>As I get to the school, I look around for someone who might have seen Ha Ni leave. I see a janitor taking out trash, so I walk over to him.<p>

"Excuse me, sir." He turns. "Did you by chance see Oh Ha Ni leave the school? She was supposed to be home a while ago." He looks puzzled for a minute, then his face lights up.

"Oh, that sweet girl whose house got destroyed by that earthquake? Yes, she left about half an hour ago with that boy in her class. Bong Joo Go?" He smiles.

"Bong Joon Gu?" I ask him.

He snaps his fingers. "Yes! That's it."

If she left half an hour ago, she should be home by now. Even if she had to get rid of the rooster. My heart picks up at that thought once more while the rock seems to get heavier and heavier. "Thank you, sir."

"No problem," he says politely. "Hey, Baek Seung Jo!" he calls as I walk away. I turn back. "I hope you find your girlfriend." My girlfriend? As if. She's just living with me. But I can't tell him that. I've heard enough of the principal's and teachers' gossip to know that the staff share information more than the students.

"Thank you," I say politely as I start to walk away from the school.

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><p>I'm walking around the neighborhood trying to think of somewhere Ha Ni may have gone. Where would she head if she didn't know the way to the house? I'm still wondering where to look when I hear screaming coming from a block or two over. It seems like the sound is travelling as if the person is running. That sounds like Ha Ni's whine!<p>

I run towards the sound. When I come up on the street the noise was coming from, I see that man from this morning. He's edging around Ha Ni, though she's flinching away from him. he's still wearing that long trench coat from this morning, but he's lost the sunglasses.

"Preparing yourself for too long isn't too good either," he says to Ha Ni. It's obvious he hasn't seen me yet. I wonder what he's talking about. "Let's do it!"

Ha Ni turns to him with her back to me. The man starts counting. "1 . . ." His hands move to the buttons on his trench coat. I realize what's happening and walk carefully towards them so he doesn't see me. "2 . . ." His fingers start undoing the button and he reaches inside his coat to grab the other flap. Suddenly, he flings his coat open with the biggest grin on his face as if he's won a prize.

By this point, I've made my way to Ha Ni and I have to do something. Before she has time to see anything, I reach in front of her and cover her eyes with my hand. I feel her gasp and she turns around to face me. I don't think she realized how close I was, and she nearly runs into my chest. My hand is resting on her shoulder and I can see that disgusting man right over the top of her head.

She slowly looks up from my throat to my face. I glance down at her to make sure she's okay. The look of wonder in her face would make me smile right now if there wasn't a naked man in front of me whom I wanted to murder. How dare he try to steal her innocence with such sights! The thought made me so angry, although I made sure to keep my face a calm mask.

I realize my hand is resting on the back of Ha Ni's head as if I were protecting her. I guess I am. In different circumstances, this might look like an embrace to anyone who didn't know better. I don't move my hand no matter what my brain tells me it looks like. It seems comfortable there.

The man finally opens his eyes and realizes that they are no longer alone. As soon as he sees me, his grin turns to surprise, then fear. He closes his jacket and starts to run. I can't let this punk get away. I take off after him, nearly knocking Ha Ni over in the process.

Rounding a corner at the end of the street, the man falls over a road block. When he realizes he has no time to get up and run more, he stays on his knees and pleads with me. "Sir," he begs, "fogrive me! Just this once? It hasn't been that long since I started this. I've registered on a forum and it's only my second time on the field. Please don't report me!" He looks pitiful and sad, but I can't allow myself to have sympathy for him. He can't go around doing things like that. He continues. "I have a family. I even have a kid. If you forgive me this one time, I won't ever do this again. Please, sir!"

I don't know if I believe him, but I can't punish a man who's got a wife and a child at home that are depending on him. "Then go straight home right now," I say to him. He gasps. I don't think that was the answer he was expecting to hear. He rises from his knees to a standing position.

"Thank you, sir!" He turns around to leave. Before he can walk away, however, I pull on his coat to stop him. "What the-" he yells. I start searching him. "What?" he asks.

When I find Ha Ni's shoe, I hold it up. "You can't just leave," I told him.

"Right." He bows, and turns away. "Goodbye." Then he takes off running down the street.

I look down at Ha Ni's shoe. Did she really agree to look just to get this back? She really is dumber than I thought. When she sees me walking back to her, she perks up. She's holding my grocery sack that I got when I bought our drinks. I toss her shoe down for her to put on as she gives me back the sack.

"Did you come out to meet me?" she asks. I can hear the hope in her voice. "Because you were worried?"

Worried? More like annoyed. When she didn't come home, mother harped me about it. I would have let her stay out all night. "Whatever," I say. I hold up the bag. "Convenience store," I tell her.

"But how did you come right on time?" she asks me suspiciously. She must think I was watching her and waiting for the perfect moment to come in.

"I just got unlucky," I tell her truthfully. That is an image I will never get rid of and it's all her fault. "But anyway," I scold her, "you, in a situation like this, you should give up the shoe-"

"They were a present from your mom." The look on her face is one of stubbornness. "Today was the first time I wore them!

"But still," I say. I turn and walk away. She's giving me a headache. I hear her shuffling to catch up to me.

"What did you buy?" she asks curiously. She sees the tea. "That one looks good. Can I have some?" She looks so hopeful with that goofy smile. "I'm thirsty from running." That's why I bought them in the first place, I think to myself. I reach in the bag and toss her one. She lags behind as I start to walk home. "It's not cold," she complains as she catches up once again. "Is it because of the heat?" I stay silent while she points up at the sky. "Is that the big dipper? One, two, three . . . Doesn't it sound like crickets?"

"No it doesn't," I say calmly. As we walk home under the dark sky, I start to realize that that rock has vanished from my stomach and my heart no longer has to beat so fast.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! I told you I would update later! It's only been a few hours since I posted my last one! I feel so accomplished! :)**

**Anyway, I hope you're enjoying the story, and please review!**


	6. Episode 2: Eavesdropping

**Disclaimer: I TOTALLY OWN PLAYFUL KISS! ... If only. No, I don't own Playful Kiss. Do you live under a rock? :D**

**A/N: This is one of those scenes I said I'd do that isn't actually in the show . . . Well, I guess it is, but not like this. I hope you enjoy it!**

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><p>Episode 2: Eavesdropping<p>

The breeze feels really nice coming through the window. I'm glad it's spring. It's my favorite time of year. Everything is new and it's usually very peaceful. I say usually for a reason. Ever since Ha Ni has come into my life, no day has been peaceful. She's taken my life for a ride in the clouds. Not the calm clouds like you see on a sunny day, but the dark, stormy ones like you see in the pictures of the middle of America. What are they called again? Tornadoes! That's it. Ha Ni has picked my life up and thrown it into the middle of a tornadoe.

I hear my door creak open. Eun Jo is already in bed asleep, so I know it must be mother coming to check on me. I close my eyes and pretend I'm asleep because I really don't want to deal with her. When the door closes again, I hear her go downstairs. The next thing I know, I hear a voice coming through the window. Before I have time to worry, though, I realize it's Ha Ni's and that her window is right near mine. She must have hers open too.

"Come to your senses, Oh Ha Ni," she says. I hear a thump. "Don't you have any pride?" She's obviously chastising herself. "Right," she says. "Let's study!" She sounds pretty determined. "Let's study and show them how it's done." She pauses. "Math. Let's start with math." Another pause. I hear the rustling of books and her voice again. "Alright, it's the global age, so let's start with English." Math didn't last long apparently.

There's a longer pause this time, but not more than a minute. "Oh my," she groans. I hear books being moved again and she says confidently, "Let's steadily begin with our native language." Pause. Then I hear her half-groan, half-scream. "What is this talking about?" Wow. She must really be having a lot of trouble over there. Another scream/groan. "I don't get it!" The more she talks, the higher her voice goes. "I don't know!"

Wow. This bet is going to be easier to win than I thought. "I've learned all of this? No way . . ." I hear footsteps coming up the stairs again. Mother. She knocks on Ha Ni's door. "Yes?" Ha Ni calls. Her door opens.

"Are you studying?" my mother asks. "Here, have some of this." She must have some food for Ha Ni.

"Thank you," says Ha Ni gratefully. "Come on in."

"You're studying so hard so late," my mother says with surprise in her voice. I would be surprised too if I hadn't known it was for a bet.

"I'm just sitting here," Ha Ni giggles. That's the truth, Ha Ni. You're not getting anything done.

My mother has a tone in her voice like she's having way too much fun. "You should rest a bit," she tells Ha Ni. All of a sudden, my mother bursts out into a fit of giggles. "I've always wanted to do this!" she says happily. "Making a late night snack and telling them to take a break!" She sighs. "Now I feel like the mother of a senior."

"Does Seung Jo not eat late night snacks?" Ha Ni asks her.

Mother sounds disappointed. "No, Seung Jo just doesn't study at all." I hear a gagging sound. Ha Ni must have taken a bit of whatever mother brought up.

"He doesn't study?" Ha Ni is baffled.

"Yeah," says mother. "He's already sleeping." Well, she thinks I am, anyway.

Ha Ni is still baffled. "Yet he always gets perfect scores. He must really be a genius."

"Is that so?" mother asks. I hear the shuffling of feet. "What's the point of getting perfect scores? He's no fun at all?" Fun? I have fun. I have fun when I'm teasing Ha Ni. I have fun when I'm with Eun Jo. Why does she say I'm no fun?

I hear the sound of typing, then Ha Ni saying, "You have a blog?"

"Of course," says mother. "I'm a power blogger!"

"You have 160 comments!" Ha Ni sounds surprised. Honestly, I am too. I don't know why anyone would be interested enough in our lives to read that blog. But mother posts it anyway. It's her hobby. "Oh, it's Eun Jo!"

"Eun Jo is lacking in manners, isn't he?" Now they're talking about Eun Jo? I'm glad little brother is asleep. It's not good for a child to hear negative comments about them made by their parents. I can take it because I'm older, but Eun Jo couldn't. "He likes his older brother so much that he copies everything he does." What's wrong with that? He admires me.

"Still, he's cute," says Ha Ni. I have to agree with her there. Eun Jo is a pretty good little brother. I like him a lot. "He looks a lot like Seung Jo." Really? I glance over at Eun Jo, then to a picture of us on the bedside table. I guess I can see it.

My mother gets excited. "I think you probably looked pretty when you were a child as well. Don't you have an albumn? Show me!"

I decide I've heard enough. I don't want to be listening to mother rant and rave about how cute Ha Ni was or is because she's really not. Cute, that is. I mean she does that thing when I tease her when she tschts her tongue, but . . . What am I thinking?

I grab my iPod and put in my headphones. I hit shuffle and a song by Kim Hyun Joong called "One More Time." It's a slow, easy song that should help me to get to sleep.

As I start to drift off, I start to wonder what that rock feeling was earlier this evening, though I don't pay much attention to the thought as I fall asleep.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello again! Third chapter today! I am so proud of myself. None of my other stories even have three chapters each! And this is the sixth on this story! WOOOOOO! :D**

**Well, I don't have much to say except this. I will give you 100 imaginary points if you can tell me the total fangirl reference I used in this. :)**

**Oh! And please review!**


	7. Episode 2: The Exchange

**Disclaimer: If I own Playful Kiss, then it's 1774 and we're still fighting the British.**

**This is going to be a long A/N, so I'm sorry. If you don't care, you can skip ahead to the story.**

**A/N: Hello everyone! I just wanted to say thank you ever so much to everyone who's reviewed so far! It makes my day! I just wish **_**someone**_** *coughChocolovercough* would make an account so I can send them a reply message and personally tell them how grateful I am.**

**My first major point: I am very upset with Netflix right now. For every chapter up until now, I would watch the episode as I was writing to make sure I got the dialogue correct and to make sure I got the gestures and expressions right. However, Netflix apparently decided to take Playful Kiss off of instant streaming. AND they say that the DVD availiability date is unknown. How is that possible? They just had the DVDs a week ago. I'm so mad right now. All I can say is thank God for Hulu.**

**Second point: I'm sorry it's been a while since I've updated. I kind of got absorbed into Boys Over Flowers (the other Korean drama that Kim Hyun Joong is in), so I didn't even work on any new chapters at all. I finished the series at 3:30 a.m. this morning (a Sunday). I started the series on Thursday. The series has 25 episodes which are an hour long each. I HAVE NO LIFE. I accept it. :) I also admit that I am totally and completely obssessed with Ga Eul and Yi Jung. They are so adorable! Also, I prefer Kim Hyun Joong in PK, even though his character in BOF is much more likable and sweet. Plus, his hair is WAAAY better in PK.**

**Anyway, enough of my ranting. Onto the story!**

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><p>Episode 2: The Exchange<p>

"Baek Seung Jo?" says one voice.

"Baek Seung Jo?" everyone echoes. A crowd starts to gather. Where is she? I don't want to spend any more time attracting attention than I have to. Maybe they'll think I have to talk about our bet. Hopefully that's what they think.

As I search the room from the doorway, a small voice asks me, "Who are you looking for?" It seems like every girl in the room giggles as if I could be looking for them. One laugh in particular catches my ear. My eyes scan the room to land on the person I'm looking for. As soon as her eyes meet mine, her laughing stops. Oh Ha Ni. What was so funny, I wonder.

She seems confused when I point to her. She of all people shouldn't be confused considering she's the only one who really knows what's going on. When she looks at me to confirm I mean her, I nod my head telling her to come with me. The whole class is staring and murmuring as Ha Ni walks to the door.

"Oh Ha Ni," I say. "Bring out your PE uniforms."

"PE uniforms?" she asks me. "Why?" She's silent as she waits for a reply. When she realizes she's not going to get an answer, she agrees. "Okay," she says. She slowly walks back into class as I wait. When she finally gets the uniform, I lead her outside where it will be less noticable when we switch.

We walk out to the patio outside the classroom. She walks really slowly. For some reason, though, I doubt it has anything to do with the length of her legs this time. When we come to a stop beneath the tree, I glance around, looking for anyone who might be able to tell what's going on. The entire class has their faces smashed up against the window trying to see what we're doing. Great. That just makes it all the more difficult for me.

I resign myself to the fact that they'll have to know we're up to something. Handing over the uniform feels criminal. It feels like I stole something of hers. I know it's only a P.E. uniform, but it's strangely intimate touching her clothes. As she gives me mine, I'm relieved to not have hers anymore, although I can see over her shoulder that her friends are talking.

I glance around again and sigh. "This is really bothersome," I say.

"Why?" she asks. "You could have just worn it."

"What?"

All she does is shrug with a grin on her face. "What does it matter if it's a girl's?" she asks me. "You're used to girls' clothes." What is she talking about? Unless . . . No. She couldn't know.

She starts to giggle and reaches in her pocket to pull something out. I can't believe my eyes. It's one of the pictures of me when I was little. Mom told me she destroyed those! I can feel my eyes go wide. "Hey! Where did you get that? You better give it back!" I try to snatch the picture from her hand, but she's too fast. Before I can try again, she starts running away from me.

Every time I get near her and think I almost have it, she waves it in my face and darts away again. A few times, I try to reach around her to grab it, but I accidently brush her side or her shoulder. This is definitely uncomfortable.

We finally make our way back beneath the tree and she pauses with the picture held behind her back. "Alright," she says. "hold on! I'll give it to you. There's a condition, though."

"Condition?" I ask warily. This cannot be good. We're both out of breath from running around and I can hear the sigh in my voice as I approach her and ask, "What condition?"

She stops me with an outstretched arm before I can get too close. Her face is lit up brighter than the fire in the middle of the sun. "Help me with my studies." Her face looks hopeful.

"What?" Is she crazy?

"Help me raise my grades for the upcoming exam." Her face is pleading.

She is crazy. "Are you saying this knowing there is only one week left until the exam?" It simply can't be done.

"That's why I'm asking," she begs. I can sense that she's desperate. Considering what I heard last night, though, I can understand why. She didn't sound like she was getting anything done. "Please help me. Please help me get into the study hall."

I look at her incredulously. "You want me to create a miracle?" I ask her. "I'm not a god." Her face falls when she hears this. For some reason, when I see that, I start to feel a tightness in my chest.

"I understand," she says softly. She turns with her hands still behind her back to look at the class at the window. The next thing I know, she's jumping up and down and waving the picture at them. "Hey guys," she yells.

"Hey!" I lunge towards her and she runs to the tree. I trap her between me and the trunk as she giggles. She hides the picture behind her back once again. I push her shoulder against the trunk and she yelps. I put my other hand on the trunk near her head and ease pressure off her shoulder until I no longer have a finger on her.

As I stand there with her less than a foot from me, I notice that tightness in my chest is back. My heart is also doing something funny. It's that same feeling that I had last night when I had a rock in my stomach. I feel like it's about to beat right out of my chest. I don't understand it. Can she hear that? I search her eyes for any sign that she can, but all I see is . . . apprehension? Suspicion maybe? And it seems there may even be a blush on her cheeks.

"Oh Ha Ni," I say forcefully despite the odd rhythm in my chest. "You're trickier than I thought." I study her for a moment as I remember our bet from before. "I said that if you get into study hall that I would carry you on my back. Now you want me to help you study and carry you on my back as well?"

She glances at the ground. "If you help me," she says slowly as she raises her eyes to mine, "that's definitely invalid." She gets a pouty look on her face as she says, "Do you think I'm that low?" I don't respond. "Don't worry," she assures me, blushing. "I have no more feelings for you." It's too bad her body just betrayed her like that. Would I have believed her? I doubt it. Moving in with me probably made her like me even more. "I don't want to be piggybacked by you." She holds up her fingers to make a point. "Not even this much!" By the end, her voice starts to fade and become weaker.

I don't believe a word coming out of her mouth. It seems like every time I move, her eyes follow mine and that blush becomes a little bit deeper. I realize that as she's been talking, I've been moving closer and closer, my head now less than half a foot from hers. It seems to have tripped her up on her words.

It gives me a slightly evil idea. I move my head a little closer and tilt it to the side. She pulls her hand away and looks at me like she doesn't know what's going on. Ha Ni, can you really not figure this out? I move closer. There's a problem, though. With each advance towards her, my heart starts beating a little faster and that tightness in my chest gets a little tighter.

I ignore what my body is doing when I say, "Really?" She stays silent. I move closer still. Our lips are now inches apart, and I'm sure to any outsider, it would look like we're a loving couple. We know the truth, though. It's a secret just between the two of us. We can't stand each other.

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><p><strong>AN: So what do you guys think so far? I'm really having fun, and I'll probably be updating more than I have been for the past few days. Like I said, I got wrapped up in BOF, so I had absolutely no time. :)**

**Don't forget to let me know what you think by leaving a review! It only takes a minute!**


	8. Episode 2: What About Log?

**Disclaimer: Even though I am completely and utterly in love with it, I do not own Playful Kiss.**

**A/N: So I've recently discovered SS501. :D I love them so much! I've been watching their "Thanks for Waking Me Up" show on YouTube. :) They are so adorable in the morning in their jammies and stuff! Did you guys know that KHJ is the deepest sleeper on the planet? Seriously, this guy had ice on his back and CHIUAUA(?) PUPPIES RUNNING ALL OVER HIM and he still didn't wake up. All the other band members make fun of him because he sleeps so heavily. But don't think they're so innocent. Most of them are really heavy sleepers too. :)**

**Anyway, onto the story!**

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><p>Episode 2: What About Log?<p>

Wow, she looks intense. How can someone be trying that hard and be getting nowhere? Homework is _not_ that hard. I just don't understand it. "Hey, Oh Ha Ni," I say. She doesn't look up. "You don't even know this?" I ask her seriously. We learned this in middle school. That catches her attention. She sends a glare my way as she straightens. "Why don't you just give up on school?" I don't really think she should, but I am curious why she's trying so hard all of a sudden. If it's so difficult, why try?

She slams her pen on her book. She brings her fingers up to poke her cheeks while puckering her lips. "What are you doing?" I ask. Is she some sort of fish?

"Baby Baek Seung Jo-"

"Oh Ha Ni!" I scold her. She gives up the look. Thank God. She looked really stupid, which doesn't help our current situation. It's obvious she needs a lot more help than I anticipated. "Fine," I sigh. "Then I'll start by explaining the very basics, so listen up." She's not looking at me, prefering the table's appearance to mine. I'm surprised she can tell the difference, honestly. It's a pretty handsome table. I start explaining.

How to start, how to start? Okay, got it. "First, use 'x' as the number you want to determine. What is 'x' here?" I ask. She needs to understand this. I don't know how she doesn't already, but apparently she doesn't. And I got dragged into teaching her.

The look on her face is blank. "Huh?"

"What is 'x' here?" I ask again.

She claps her hands together like a little child while a grin spreads across her face. "Alphabet!" she exclaims happily. Is that really all she can think about? It's going to be a really long week. She deflates when she realizes I don't share her enthusiasm. Looking back at her paper, she furrows her brow. "I don't know," she announces sullenly. "What is it?"

Finally! Something I can work with. "That's right! An unknown amount." If she's surprised she got it right, she's not showing it. At least not yet. "'X' is the unknown number. What do we call a case that can't be solved?" She glances at me and acquires a look of severe concentration.

"X-file?" she asks timidly.

"That's right," I tell her. "What was the new generation called when we were younger?"

"Generation X!" She seems ecstatic that she knows one.

"Yeah," I say. "An unknown generation and a case that can't be solved." She nods. "So it has been determined that unknown amounts will be represented by the letter 'x'." Maybe now she'll get it. She makes a sound of understanding. I think I she has it now. Could she actually be focusing and getting it?

"But why 'x'?" And she's gone. "When there's 'w' and 'h' too."

"What's the point of wondering about that?" I ask her. This girl really needs to focus on what's important. She needs to not worry so much about the details. That's what gets her off-track. "It's already been decided."

Ha Ni sneers at me. "Here," I tell her, "'x' equals two to the 30th power times ten to the negative 7th power. Logx = log (2^30*10^7)" She's silent as I explain the problem. I'm not sure how much she's hearing of this. She seems to be more enraptured with something else. I continue. "Logx = 30log2 - 7log10. Logx = 30*0.3-7. Logx = 2, so x=100. But since we're supposed to write this as a binary number, what's the answer?"

She takes her head away from her hand as if she'd been resting it there. "Huh?" she asks. I think I know what's going on, but I try again.

"What is 100 as a binary number?" A slow smile appears on her face. What is she smiling about? "Calculate it," I tell her.

Her smile fades. "What does that mean?" she asks.

I sigh and I know I look exasperated. There's a reason for that. "I feel like I'm going to explode," I say truthfully. Her brow scrunches for only a second and she glances at me. Her fingers start making their way to her cheeks again before I stop her. "Hey!" I hear a loud bang and realize I've stood up and slammed my hand on the table. Ha Ni is cowering in her seat. Oops. I didn't mean to scare her.

I walk over and take a seat on her bed as I hear myself sigh. I look over at Ha Ni and wonder how she made it this far in school. She sits at the table twirling her hair like this is normal. I guess it is for her, though. I grab the back of the chair I was sitting in and lower my head to stare at the ground. I'm almost to the point of giving up. It's late and I'm tired and we haven't gotten anywhere.

"Do you know what the decimal system is?" I ask her without looking up.

"Yeah," she replies dully. "10 . . . 20 . . . 30 . . . " I glance up.

"Then how about the binary numeral system?" All I get in response is another blank stare. Okay, here I go. "It's a way to express a number with only zero and one."

"But why?" she asks suddenly. "What's the use of that?" What's a way I can make her understand? Ah!

I point past her. "The computer," I say simply.

She glances at it then back to me. "Computer?" she asks incredulously.

I stand up slowly and walk over to her desk where her computer sits. "In 1974, from the Arecibo Observatory, a message was sent to outer space." I grab her teddy bear sitting on her desk. It's such a childish thing to still have, but I guess Oh Ha Ni is a childish person. "It asked if there were really aliens, then to reply to the message." She starts to nod. "But how would they send it?" I ask. "In English? In Korean?" She seems relatively interested now, so I continue. "And we don't know the level of intelligence of the aliens. So the message was sent in binary code so it could be decoded with the mere knowledge of the numbers zero and one."

She seems excited with this tidbit of information. "Oh," she exclaims. "In order to communicate with aliens, I should learn the binary system." She leans forward and starts writing. "This is a must learn," she says. "Put a star next to this." I can't believe it. That's what she got out of this? Most people would be asking why zero and one, or about sending the message into space. She understands that if she learns it, she can talk to aliens. Well, at least it will help her remember.

"Then what is the way to change 100 to the binary numeral system?" I ask as I walk away from the desk once again.

She disregards my question and instead asks one of her own. "So did we get a response from those aliens?"

I sit back down on her bed. "So far, not yet," I answer.

She groans in disappointment. "But then again," she says, "the universe is so huge. Right?"

She's got it! I snap my fingers. "That's right! Because the universe is so big, the log system was developed." This is what I mean. The big picture. Making these connections in a way that's interesting for her seems to work and get her engaged.

"Really?" she asks in disbelief. She takes her pen and scrawls something on her paper.

"Log was made to express really big things," I continue. She looks over her shoulder at me with another glare. She doesn't get it once again, and I'm getting discouraged. "Why don't you just give up?" I ask her again.

"Why?" She sounds offended that I would even ask such a thing. "It's fun," she says. Fun? For who?

She amazes me. "How can there be so many things you don't know?"

She waves off my question with a _tshtch_ of her tongue. "Do you know everything?" she asks me defensively. I don't respond. All of a sudden, she grabs a picture from the table. It has a lot of guys dressed in tuxedos. "Who are these people?" she asks me confidently.

I tilt my head. Another _tshtch_. "Si Won, Kang In, Shin Dong, Kyu Hyun, Han Kyung, Ki Bum, Sung Min, Hee Chul, Ye Sung, Eun Hyuk, Dong Hae, Lee Teuk, Ryeo Wook." She points to a different face with each name. Then she turns back to me and squints her eyes. "We just have different fields of interest," she states. Obviously. She continues. "So what about log?" she asks, confident that she's put me in my place.

I lie back on the bed and sigh once more. She's going to kill me before we're through.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please please please review. :D**


	9. Episode 2: Impressed

**Disclaimer: As much as I love Kim Hyun Joong, I don't own him or Playful Kiss.**

**A/N: **

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><p>Episode 2: Impressive<p>

Almost done. This is one task that actually challenged me a little. I'm writing practice test questions for Ha Ni. The challenge was in covering all the topics that we need to cover. After working with her for a day or two, I've realized something. Oh Ha Ni is a very hard worker when she wants to be. If she really wants something, she will do her best to get it. It's almost like she-

"Hyung," comes a voice. It's Eun Jo with his school book. "How do I solve this?" he asks me. I can't stop now. I'm almost done with these questions for Oh Ha Ni.

"Hey, Eun Jo," I say while still typing. "I've got to do this. Ask Mom." He slowly closes his book and huffs away. Before he leaves the room, though, I hear his feet stop.

"Hey, Oh Ha Ni," he calls. I actually forgot she was in here to be honest. She's been so quiet. "You stupid, idiot, dumb, booger face!" She doesn't reply. "I can't even study because of you! My Hyung can't sleep either." What's he talking about? I'm sleeping. Maybe not as much as I used to, but I'm sleeping. "What's up with you?" he continues. "Go back to your own house!"

Ha Ni is still silent, which makes me curious. I turn around, expecting to see clenched fists and rolling eyes. She throws me off when I see her working as diligintly as ever. She's mouthing words to herself as she studies and isn't even fazed by Eun Jo's antics. Then it hits me. She didn't even hear him. Ha Ni, one of the worst students in the class, is studying so hard that she didn't just hear my little brother insult her. Multiple times. I glance toward my brother and back to Oh Ha Ni. I'm definitely impressed.

I can feel a smile spread on my face as I turn around. This girl surprises me every day. I print out the questions I came up with now that I'm finally done. I think the sound of the printer breaks Ha Ni's trance, because she decides to reenter the world. She turns around.

"Oh, Eun Jo, you're here!" Ha Ni is genuinely surprised to see him.

"Forget it!" he yells as he storms out, slamming the door behind him. I wonder what she's thinking about that. I grab the papers I printed and throw them at her.

"Here," I say, turning back to the computer.

"What is it?"

"Read that for today and go to bed early since tomorrow's the exam," I tell her. She of all people will need her sleep. Living with a person, you get to know everything about them. One thing I've learned about Ha Ni is this: when she doesn't get her sleep, she is mor annoying and bubbly than usual. I don't know how it happens. Maybe sleep for her is some sort of mood regulator that makes her normal. Other people get pissed, she gets giddy.

"What is it?" she asks again.

"I came up with potential exam questions," I say. I can hear her start flipping through the pages.

"Wow!" she sighs. She sounds like a little kid on Christmas morning. "When did you make all this?" she asks me. I'm totally touched." I can hear the smile in her voice as she says the last part.

"Hey," I say. "I told you to hurry and look through it. Stop talking nonsense!" She really shouldn't be doing that. She shouldn't be filling in feelings where there are none. This is a result of blackmail. It's nothing more than that and she needs to understand. I can't be filling her head with hope when there's no reason to.

Her brows knit together as she huffs, "I got it." As I turn around back to the computer, I hear a little muttering under her breath. "Why get mad?" is what I think I hear, but I decide not to pay attention to it. I decide not to tell her I'm not mad. I just can't be promising her things that shouldn't happen. I mean won't. It _won't_ happen.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey everyone! I just want to take a minute to thank everyone who's been reviewing and reading. Seeing your reviews just makes my day, and I am so happy knowing people on here actually appreciate the work I put into these. I'm sorry it took me a few more days to update. I had a lot of homework. Math analysis and AP psychology. Yeah, tell me about it. Anyway, thank you sooo much and I hope you guys are doing well! Oh, and don't forget to make my day and review! :D**


	10. Episode 2 to 3: Piggyback

**Disclaimer: Hot . . . hot . . . hot . . . hot . . . AND HE'S NOT EVEN MINE! **

**A/N: Almost to episode three, everyone! I'm so excited. You have no idea. I was originally planning on doing just one or two scenes per episode, and that worked out in episode one because there aren't many scenes that are worth going over because there are hardly anything with Baek Seung Jo in them. But once I got to episode two, I was just like, "Oh, that scene will be fun to write, and that one's important, and this one's so cute!" So yeah, I ended up doing a whole bunch of chapters in episode two. It will probably be the same in most episodes since Seung Jo's in them a lot. :) Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

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><p>Episode 2-3: Piggyback<p>

I walk slowly through the hall. I'm not in a big hurry. Once I get to the area where grades are posted, everyone is going to bombard me like they always do. 'Oh, Baek Seung Jo, you got a perfect score again! You're soooo cool. Isn't he cool, girls?' It honestly makes me kind of sick sometimes.

I realize I'll have to go there sooner or later, though, and head that way. I honestly am curious to see how Oh Ha Ni did on her exam. With the amount of studying she did, I would say it's impossible for her not to be in the top fifty at least. As I saunter towards the grades, I see the huge crowd and my feet become almost like lead. I don't want to talk to anyone right now. I really don't.

Everyone is in a huddle around the board searching for that score that will make their parents proud. I scan the list of the top fifty and find what I'm looking for almost immediately. She made it. Oh Ha Ni, bottom of the class, worked her butt off and made it into the top fifty. It still confuses me almost as much as it did the day she asked me to help.

After I find out what I want to know, I turn to walk away. As I'm about to leave, though, I get this odd feeling. It's starting in the top of my head and working its way down my face, down my shoulders, down my back, and all the way down to my toes. It's some sort of warmth, almost as if the sun is shining on me. I look outside and see the sun isn't coming in through the window anywhere near me. Weird. I'll ignore it for now.

I find my eyes wandering over to where Ha Ni is standing. She's looking at the board pretty intensely. Does she know yet, I wonder. She turns around and I see the goofiest grin on her face as she searches the crowd. Her hair is up in pigtails that have ties all the way down their length. Is she five again, or did she just never grow older?

When her eyes land on me, they stop. She was looking for me? The answer must obviously be yes because she comes running straight for me. She stops before she runs into me, but I was honestly worried she wouldn't. "You got the perfect score again," she announces. She brings her hands, pressed together as if she were praying up under her chin as she says, "You're amazing. Congrats!"

"Of course," I tell her. "I studied for the first time in my life. How could I not get a perfect score?" I don't tell her that I really don't care. I don't tell her that the only reason I was checking the board was for her. I don't tell her anything of the sort.

Her face falls as if my comment hurt her. I don't like that face. It doesn't look good on her. I have to do something to get rid of it or I might just walk away. "You too," I say quietly. This gets her attention.

"Huh?" she asks.

What a silly girl. And she spent all that time staring at the board, too. "You didn't see it yet?"

Her eyes are getting as wide as saucers. "Me?" she asks apprehensively. "ME?" She glances at the board and back to me before she runs over to look. She carefully forces her way through the throng of people. She must see her name on the list because she starts doing this little dance that's a cross between running and a seizure.

Her teacher tries to get her attention. She raises her hand and calls her name. Ha Ni completely ignores her, though, and instead looks straight at me. The look on her face is complete joy. I honestly don't think I've ever seen someone so happy. She runs back over to where I'm standing. She looks so happy that I think she's about to cry. Her eyes definetly have some puff going on and they're all red, too.

"You saw?" she asks me with the biggest, goofiest grin I have ever seen in my entire life. "I did it!" I hate to ruin her moment, but I haven't forgotten the terms of our agreement. I hold out my hand. When she sees it, she grabs it with both hands and shakes it as if it's a rag doll.

"Thank you," she says fervently. "Thank you so, so much. It's all thanks to you! Most of the exam questions were what you predicted!" Even though I know she's talking, I can't seem to focus on anything but the feelings in my hand. As soon as she grabs it, that warm feeling that I got earier turns into a tingling that originates in my hand and sends an electric shock all the way through my body. I seem to be confused. I . . . I mean _she _seems to be confused. She really thinks that's what I held my hand out for? I yank my hand away.

"What are you doing?" I ask her. "That thing," I say just in case anyone is listening. I don't want anybody ever knowing about that picture or any of the others that, apparently, mother still has.

She glances down, disappointed. She pulls out the picture and holds in up as if she's displaying it to the world. Or maybe that's just how it feels to me, since no one starts running over to look. "This?" she asks me. I can't help it. I snatch it from her hand.

"Don't take it out just anywhere," I scold her. I turn and start walking away with the picture in hand. Good, now this can finally be over.

Before I can even get three steps away, she yells my name. "SEUNG JO!" What is she thinking? I'm right here, even if I am heading away. "THANKS!" she screams. I can feel a smile on my face when I start to think about how she must look right now. "THANKS SO SO MUCH!" I don't turn around, but keep on smiling. If she knew just how funny she sounded, I wonder if she would be doing that. Probably.

As I'm almost out of the room, I hear another, less familiar voice. "Stop!" it calls out. I stop and turn. Ha Ni's teacher starts marching forward until she's standing beside Oh Ha Ni.

"Yes?" I ask her. I don't know what she could want. I never speak with her. Maybe she has the wrong person? I ask, "Me?"

"Yes, you," she says matter-of-factly. She's standing with her arms crossed and she has the look of one pissed off woman. "Baek Seung Jo," she says. Okay, she obviously didn't mistake me for someone else. The whole class has turned to look at the action. Great. More attention. "How can you leave just like that when there are this many witnesses?" she asks me incredulously. It honestly takes me a minute to realize what she's talking about.

"Excuse me?"

She glances at Oh Ha Ni and smiles. "You promised to giver her a piggyback ride around the school if our Ha Ni got into study hall." Girls in the crowd start giggling and laughing. Oh Ha Ni looks utterly horrified. Did she not realize this would happen? Did she just think everyone would magically forget?

"I heard that!" one says.

"We all heard it," comes another.

I'm curious as to how Ha Ni will handle this one. She looks completely disoriented. "No, teacher," she pleads. "We decided to void that."

"That's not fair!" her teacher exclaims. She leans close and says something that sounds like, "This kind of miracle may never happen again!" Miracle? Do girls really enjoy being piggybacked that much? Yes, two people are close, but if they have no feelings toward each other, it means nothing.

There's a problem with that, though. Oh Ha Ni does have feelings for me. I'm her "Spirit of the Forest." When we made the bet, I honestly was one hundred percent sure that she couldn't possibly win. That's why I made such an outrageous wager. In all honesty, though, I'd been thinking about the bet for the past few nights. After I realized that Ha Ni might actually do this, I started thinking. Obviously people would remember and hold me to it if she won. But would that really be such a bad thing? We'll find out in a minute, I guess.

Ha Ni looks absolutely frazzled. "But the thing is . . ." she starts. I can tell she doesn't know what to say. She's looking at me with the strangest look on her face. It's sort of a mix of apologetic, fearful, and apprehensive. I'm interested to see how she'll handle this. As soon as I meet her eyes, though, she gets flustered again. "Anyway, we decided not to-"

Her teacher interrupts her. "When you said you were going to study hard, I really didn't think much of it." I honestly don't think anyone did. She starts to get teary-eyed and grabs Ha Ni's hands. "As a teacher, I couldn't even help you." A grin overcomes her face and she grips a shaken Oh Ha Ni's shoulders and says ecstatically, "I'm so proud of you, Ha Ni! You've saved my pride!" She squeals her way through her words and wraps a petrified Ha Ni in a hug.

The look Ha Ni is shooting me right now is absolutely priceless. Her eyes are screaming, "Help me! Please!" Before her eyes can speak their next sentence, though, her teacher comes back to her senses.

"But," she says while releasing Ha Ni from her vice grip. She turns to me with a look of disgust on her face. "What kind of guy are you?" she demands. "Are you going back on your word?"

Oh Ha Ni tries to insist. "No, teacher, that's not it!" It seems as though nothing she says is even registering with teacher.

The woman points to Oh Ha Ni. "Piggyback her," she commands.

I turn away. "Piggyback!" her teacher screams. The class seems to join and they chant with her.

"Piggyback! Piggyback! Piggyback! Piggyback! Piggyback! Piggyback! Piggyback! Piggyback! Piggyback!" They're absolutely relentless.

I turn back over my shoulder to look at Ha Ni. She doesn't know what she's doing, but she's trying her hardest to shut them up. Ha Ni, don't you know that just because you try doesn't mean you'll succeed? She looks at me with that strange look of apology and fear again as she tries to figure out what to do.

Teacher and the rest of the class are still chanting and waiting to see what I'll do. I wonder what they're thinking about this whole situation. They probably see me as the bad guy. I wouldn't mind so much if they did. All I care about is what happens next. What is the great Oh Ha Ni going to do?

Of course. She surprises me once again. Turning to the class with her arms spread wide as they can go, she screams. "STOP!" Well I have to hand it to her. That idiot sure knows how to silence a room. She runs over to me and comes to a stop. Her teacher is still trying to chant, but when she realizes everyone else obeyed the order, she pipes down.

Oh Ha Ni is less than a foot from me, and yet she still leans closer. "Don't misunderstand," she whispers. "I don't have anything to do with this." When she's this close, I suddenly realize how much I have to look down to see her. She's shorter than I thought. As soon as I notice this, I feel a pounding in my ribcage that I didn't notice before.

"Oh Ha Ni," I mutter. With her being this close, it seems loud compared to her whispers. "I knew this would happen. Like I said, you're a pain in every way." That definitely gets her attention.

"What?" Her voice is at a normal volume now as she leans away from me. "A pain?" she asks.

"Yeah, a pain," I say simply. Does she not realize how cumbersome her presence is? Every time I'm with her, something happens that just makes me want to rip my hair out in frustration. She doesn't even realize it, but just being around her makes me confused.

Her response is a _tscht_ of her tongue. "Then is it okay to tell them we live together?" She mumbles this without looking at me, as if she doesn't want to see my face when she hears the answer.

"Are you crazy?" I ask her seriously. Why would I ever agree to that?

"So what do you want me to do?" she asks me as she pouts like a child. She can't fool me for one minute, though. She knew this was coming all along. How could she not have?

"You act all naive," I begin, "but you end up getting what you want. I despise characters like you."

This seems to get her fired up. "What?" she asks. "You little . . . What did I do?"

Although she may not believe it, I'm a man of my word. I turn around. "Get on," I tell her.

"Forget it," she gripes.

I can't believe this girl. She's still putting on the act even after I called her out. "What do you mean forget about it? If it's your wish, just get on!" I know it is and she knows it is. I'm sure this is exactly what she wanted when I made the offer. She wanted it to come true, so she studied to death. I knew she liked me, but who knew a little time in close proximity to me was such a motivator?

I grab her wrist. The sooner she agrees, the sooner this can be over. She glances at my hand and says indignantly, "I said forget it! Let go." She's trying her hardest to wrench her wrist from my grasp when that rooster walks in.

"What do you think you're doing?" he yells. I turn around to see the class part for him like the red sea as he walks forward from the crowd. "Baek Seung Jo!" I can tell he's angry, but I'm not exactly sure why. He doesn't own her. "You better let that wrist go," he warns me. Is he for real?

He runs over to the two of us and tears her arm out of my hand. "I told you to let go!" he yells. Does this guy ever give up?

"You again," I say.

"Yeah! Why?" he demands. He's definitely mad, but the tough guy act he puts on is enough to make me laugh. Does he really think he's fooling anyone? He's probably the biggest softie in this room.

He proves my thoughts true when he turns to Oh Ha Ni with a smile on his face as wide as the pacific ocean. It seems like his whole face lights up whenever he sees her. "Ha Ni," he says. "I've heard about it and I'm very proud of you!" He is absolutely head over heels for this girl, but unfortunately for him, she's head over heels for me. "Also," he continues, "I'm very sorry I didn't believe you when you said you were studying. Instead, I'll piggyback you around the school as many times as you want me to. Get on!"

He bends down with his back to Oh Ha Ni. I can tell she's not amused. "Why are you being like this too?" she asks him.

"Get on," he pleads. "Here!" He grabs her hand as if he's about to force her. I suddenly start to notice that same pounding against my ribcage, but this time, it's followed by something else. I know there's a word for it, but I can't seem to put my finger on it at the moment.

I reach for Ha Ni's hand. "Hey, come here," I say.

When the rooster notices what I've done, he jumps up. "You jerk!" he growls. He lunges for the spot where Ha Ni's hand meets mind. I hear her scream as my hand goes flying away from hers. "Hey punk," he says. "Let go!" He motions to his cronies. "Hurry," he says to them.

They all gather around Ha Ni and start pushing her onto his back. I hear another one of her screams as he loads her up and runs off. "Bong Joon Gu! Hey! Bong Joon Gu!" she screams. The rest of the class is yelling along with her, but whether it's in support or anger, I'm not sure.

As he runs away with her, that odd feeling I couldn't place before comes back stronger. All I feel like doing is running after them and getting her off of him. It was my job, not his. I'm the one who made the bet with her and she's the one who studied her butt off. The deal was between us. That should be me out there.

That's when it hits me. She did it. She studied harder than anyone I've ever known, and she did it. The same warm feeling that I noticed when I saw her name on the board comes back stronger than ever. It's like a wave that's five feet tall crashing on a tiny little crab. The sheer force of the feeling overwhelms me. What is this feeling that makes me want to smile from ear to ear. I think back to when Bong Joon Gu smiled like that at Oh Ha Ni a few minutes ago. No. It couldn't be. It's almost like I'm . . . proud of Oh Ha Ni.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello again everyone! I totally would have posted this yesterday if it wasn't for . . . wait for it . . . Another kdrama! I found and fell in love with "1st Shop of the Coffee Prince" and watched the whole series in less than 48 hours. Again, I know I have no life. It's an absolutely adorable show. I love it so so much.**

**This chapter was actually really difficult for me to write. For the first time, I started worrying about character continuity. When I was first writing this chapter, I was confusing myself by thinking I was writing him more meanly than before, but once I went back and reread the chapter, I actually realized it all flowed pretty nicely and didn't cast him in any worse light than the previous chapters. I've noticed something about my writing, though, at least when I'm writing from Baek Seung Jo's perspective. I like to end the chapter by revisiting some thought he had in the beginning. I think it's like it leaves him wondering, and I think that's the basis for all his thoughts about Oh Ha Ni. She confuses him.**

**Anyway, thanks so much for reading, and leave a review to tell me what you think! :D**


	11. Episode 3: What's this?

**Disclaimer: I really truly honestly don't own anything. It breaks my heart, but it's really honestly true.**

**A/N: I'm going to try my hand at writing a scene that wasn't in the show. Let me know if it's a total disaster! :D**

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><p>Episode 3: What's this?<p>

The faucet squeaks as I turn the water off. I load my toothbrush up with toothpaste and start brushing. It always feels nice to brush my teeth after a greasy meal. It's really nice to have that fresh feeling.

As I brush my front teeth, I catch my reflection in the mirror. I'm wearing the blue t-shirt that mother bought me a few weeks ago when she went shopping for some winter clothes. It's not a winter item, but she said that she couldn't help getting it because it would compliment my skin so nicely. I'm not sure how true that is, but she seems to like going shopping and I won't stop her if it makes her happy.

I turn the water back on and spit the toothpaste down the sink. When my mouth is rinsed out, I leave the water running and cup some in my hands. Bringing it up, I splash it over my face to help clear my head.

I can't stop thinking back to today when Bong Joon Gu carried Ha Ni away. I could tell she didn't want to go with him. I really think she was excited to be piggybacked by me, no matter what she said. I meant what I said, though, about not liking it when people pretend to not know anything and then get their way like they intended the whole time. The only thing that bothers me about it, though, is the fact that I don't think Ha Ni is smart enough to think that far ahead. Could she honestly have forgotten and was she truly embarrassed today?

I dry my face on the towel next to the sink. Bringing it to my face, I smell something slightly sweet, almost like apple blosoms. Does Oh Ha Ni wear perfume? I've never smelled that scent before in this bathroom, and we haven't switched soaps.

I look around the bathroom to see if I notice any. All I see is shampoo, soap, and toothbrushes. I check the cabinet. Deodorant, toenail clippers, my glasses, razors, shaving cream, and even extra shampoo, but no perfume. I shove some things to the side to see in the very back of the cabinet. Oh. What's this?

I see a small pink box that I don't remember seeing before. Reaching back for it, my hand knocks over a bottle that makes a loud noise as it falls out of the cabinet. I cringe. Everyone else is asleep by now, or at least they should be. I should try not to be so loud. I'm more careful this time as I reach for that little pink box. When I drag it out, I sit on the floor to inspect it.

It's not a cardboard box like something you would buy at the drugstore. It's more like a present. It's covered in a smooth, slippery fabric that feels like satin. There's a lid covering the top that has a white ribbon on top. The box itself isn't very ornate, but it's pretty. Should I open it? I know it's not mine, and it's most likely Oh Ha Ni's since I haven't seen it before and since mother uses a different bathroom.

Oh, what could it hurt? I set the box on the floor in front of me. I reach out and carefully take the lid off. For some reason, I want to be careful with this. Setting the lid on the floor next to it, I look inside. There are white, square packages about the size of a slice of cheese, but a little thicker. Next to them, there are little cylindrical things wrapped in plasitc. I pick one out of the box and hold it up in front of me.

Whatever is inside isn't a cylinder. It's wider at one end than it is on the other, and it doesn't seem to take up the whole length of the packaging. I seem to remember seeing something like these things before, both the cylinders and the squares. I was a lot younger, probably younger than Eun Jo, but I do remember.

I was in mother's bathroom one afternoon looking for something, though I can't remember what. I remember finding the things that looked like these and opening one. There was a bunch of cotton inside the cylinder, which I decided would be great for a landing pad for my action figures. I took a few to my room and spread the cotton out on the floor. I realized each piece of cotton had a string on it, and I decided to use one as a parachute for my action figure and tied the string to him.

The next thing I remember is mother coming in and seeing the mess I made. She saw what I was playing with and got really upset. She came in and told me that I couldn't play with those things because they were only for girls. I was really confused and she told me that they were for when girls get sick every month. I remember thinking that every month is a lot to get sick. I actually forgot all about that memory until I found these.

Wait. Every month? Only for girls? No. It can't be.

Oh my God, I can't believe it. I'm holding Oh Ha Ni's tampons and pads. I quickly shove everything back into the box and put the box back in the cabinet. Shutting the cabinet quickly, I scoot as far away from it as possible. I can't believe that just happened.

I get up and walk over to the sink and splash my face again. I don't bother drying it before I open the door with my eyes still shut from the water. Before I can get both feet out the door, though, I bump into someone. And this someone is way too tall to be Eun Jo. My eyes fly open.

Oh Ha Ni herself is standing in front of me in a baggy t-shirt and pajama shorts. Her hair is up in a loose ponytail and she's looking just as surprised as I feel.

"Hey," I say. "W - Why aren't you in bed?" I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. Why isn't she asleep? We have school tomorrow and it's late. Why? Why couldn't she be asleep? Why do I have to run into her at this exact moment? Along with my fast heartbeat, I can feel the blood rise to my cheeks.

She looks at me like she just woke up. "I had to go to the bathroom. Is that okay with you? Geez." She tries to shove her way past me into the bathroom, but ends up just running into me again. She really needs to stop doing that. "Can I get in?" she asks impatiently.

I try to keep my voice in check as I say, "Well if you move first, then yes." She moves out of the way and I quickly head to my room. I glance back to see her looking at me with the strangest face. I turn away and duck into my room before she can figure anything out.

Running to my bed as quietly as I can, trying not to wake Eun Jo, my heart goes from fast to furious. She couldn't know, right? There's no way she could find out that I saw her . . . feminine products, right? I pull my blanket up to my chin and shut my eyes tight.

Through the door, I hear a whine. It's Oh Ha Ni. Then I hear something that sounds like "Did he _see_ that?" Only then do I remember that I put the box back in the cabinet, but I didn't put it back towards the back like it was originally. Oh no. Breakfast is going to be awkward.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay guys! What did you think? I came up with the plot as I went, but I really wanted to try my hand at writing a scene on my own. I tried to make it funny (which I definitely think the topic covered without even any plot) while giving Seung Jo's brain some screen time. In the normal scenes, the dialogue gets way more attention than the thoughts. I just wanted to delve a little more into the character.**

**Please please please let me know what you think in a review! :)**


	12. Episode 3: Poke

**Disclaimer: I own Playful Kiss. *Conscience: Don't tell lies.* Oh, well I guess I'm caught. Disregard the first sentence.**

**A/N: I think this scene is quite amusing. :) And I'm rather confused as to whether this is relatively normal in Korea or if it's just as weird as it is if it happened in America. Because I honestly think this is just the weirdest thing I've ever seen.**

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><p>Sitting under that same tree where Ha Ni and I made our deal, I smile. That girl is nothing but trouble. She's living in our house and eating our food and she blackmailed me on top of that. But what's that feeling that keeps appearing every time she's around? It's not something I can quite put my finger on. I lay down on the bench and stare up at the leaves. When she's around, I start to notice my heartbeat. It doesn't always get faster, but sometimes it does. Like last night when I bumped into her coming out of the bathroom. It was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings then. But it's when she's just sitting across from me at the dinner table or when I was helping her study. Everything I do seems more exaggerated. My frustration is more unbearable and my smirk is snarkier. My comments seem more abrasive and my tone is more condescending. I notice things more too, like my heartbeat. They rhythm seems mor erratic even if it's not faster. Her smile seems wider and brighter and when she's upset, it has more of an impact than it used to. Oh Ha Ni, what have you done to me?<p>

I pull out my phone and check the time. The games should be starting soon. Getting up from the bench, I start to walk towards the field when I hear a voice. "Seung Jo!" I turn and a girl I recognize from class runs up to me with a blue jersey in her hand. "We have to wear this," she says. She holds the jersey out to me to take. As soon as I have it, she jogs away calling, "Hurry and come to the field."

I start making my way down the stepping stone path while unfolding the jersey. There's some sort of giant orange thing coming at me. Maybe it's from a kid's show. I don't really pay much attention to it, though, as I step aside so whoever's inside the suit can pass. I turn back onto the path without looking up. We have to wear this jersey? I wonder which-

What. The. Hell. Is. That?

Something that is definitely not my underwear is touching my butt. Or rather jabbing it. It slips and hits a spot that is way more sensitive than my cheeks, though. What the hell just happened? I am in so much pain right now.

I turn around to see that big orange thing make a face at me. My hand automatically reaches behind me as I feel a bruise already forming. The orange thing's hands fly up to its ears and it makes a sound like the person inside it is sticking their tongue out at me. Then it turns around and shakes its huge behind at me and tries to run away. Before it can get ten feet, though, it trips and falls. I figure I won't have time to run after whoever it is, but it seems like they can't get up. They're rolling all around trying to shove themselves up and I have to admit it's pretty funny, but I'm mad.

It's sticking its arms up in the air like it wants someone to help it up. I make my way over and grab its arm and waist and heave it up onto a bench. Its hands go up to its head and tries to hold the mask on as if whoever's inside of it is afraid of being revealed. I have to know who just poked me, though. I grab the nose of the mask and try to lift up. "Who are you?" I ask angrily. The mask comes off with a squeal from the person inside. Oh Ha Ni, the one and only, is sitting there in the giant orange costume with her balled up fists near her face as if to guard her identity. To late, Ha Ni. I caught you.

As soon as she opens her eyes and sees my face, her eyes go wide with horror. I throw the mask down and pinch her cheek. "Hey!" I yell. She whimpers. What will I do? What _can_ I do? As much as I wish it weren't the case, I can't do anything. I let go of her cheek and slam the giant head back on her. Grabbing my jersey, I march towards the field, leaving Ha Ni on the bench. Is she crazy?

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><p><strong>AN: Hello! Just wanted to do a quick update again. I stayed home yesterday with an upset stomach so I got to work on this instead of going to class. :) Let me know what you think in a review!**


	13. Episode 3: That Goofy Grin

**Disclaimer: I really really really really really want to own Playful Kiss and especially Seung Jo, but alas, you don't get everything you want.**

**A/N: My poor readers. You've been without an update for a week now, haven't you? That question actually makes me giggle a bit because some authors go for months without posting but I have a feeling some of you are already suffering withdrawal symptoms. But homework and other kdramas were calling my name. I spent my week watching Coffee Prince and my weekend watching Pasta on Hulu. I won't go into detail about what I thought about it here, but you can message me if you really want to know. I will say this, though. I think Coffee Prince is my current favorite kdrama. Playful Kiss will always be my absolute favorite because it was my first and it has one hella sexy KHJ. But Coffee Prince is so adorable. :D**

**Another thing: Chocolover, **_**please**_** get an account so I can message you. On to the story now!**

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><p>Episode 3: That Goofy Grin<p>

Standing on the balcony, I put my headphones in. I don't turn any music on, but I feel like being by myself and the headphones seem to keep mother and Eun Jo away. At least for a little while. Through the earbuds I can hear the neighbor's dog a few houses down. I've seen it before. It's actually pretty cute. It has long, floppy ears and curly, light brown hair. It likes to sniff everywhere when its owner takes it on a walk too. I guess I would too if I were a dog. I would want to know everything that went on and is going on around me. That's essentially what dogs smell for. They can tell if another dog walked on this patch of grass three hours ago or two days ago. It's honestly pretty impressive.

I hear a shuffling behind me in the sitting room and turn. Ha Ni is slowly but surely making her way across the room toward the stairs. She's walking as if her legs weigh more than elephants which is understandable, considering she's in terrible shape. I'm sure that race today took a lot out of her.

She doesn't seem to notice me as she continues her march to the staircase. I decide I don't want to be by myself anymore. "You're not sleeping yet?" I ask her. She flinches like someone pulled her shoulder back as she turns to look at me. I definitely startled her, that's for sure. There's a pause before she responds, but her smile doesn't take long to appear.

"So you were over there?" she asks like she had been looking for me. "I didn't know." She stays slightly hunched over as she walks toward me and I can see her rubbing her legs like she's sore. I knew it. She's in terrible shape. I act like I'm pausing the music I was listening to. Out of the corner of my eye, though, I'm still watching her. She rubs her shoulder and neck as she gets closer, trying to relieve some pain she must have. The closer she gets, the more I can see the slight sunburn on her cheeks. Stupid girl. You were outside all day and you didn't wear any sunscreen? She doesn't notice that I'm watching her. She thinks I'm still looking at my ipod.

"How long have you been sitting here?" she asks me. I don't think I should tell her I've been here since she started talking on the phone. She might think I heard the whole conversation. I caught bits and pieces, but nothing interesting, so why tell her? I don't respond. She doesn't seem to care much, though, as soon as she sees the garden. Her eyes go wide and she shuffles her way to the railing to look out. "Wow," she gasps. "It's really pretty here!" It seems like Ha Ni is impressed by the simplest things. I make a mental note to compliment mother on the garden later.

"You're burned," I say simply. She probably didn't even realize it yet, knowing her. As soon as I have that thought, I realize I've gotten to know her without even realizing it. I don't know how I know enough about her to know that she wouldn't notice something small like that because she's focused on something else that's more entertaining. But somehow I do. She was probably so focused on all the cramped muscles she has and so busy talking on the phone that she hasn't even looked in the mirror since the burn started to show.

She only confirms what I suspected when she says, "Huh?" I glance up and gesture towards her face. As soon as she realizes what I mean, her hand flies up to her nose. She didn't really think that one through. Her hand smacks her burn. At the same time, it seems like the sudden movement of her arm makes a muscle in her shoulder hurt. "Ow," she whimpers. She massages her neck and shoulder again with her hand.

"It's bound to hurt seeing how you seemed to be risking your life for it," I tell her, still looking at my iPod, which isn't even doing anything. I look up so I can see her properly. "You really do give it your all with everything."

She cuts me off almost before I'm done. "The least I can do is my best," she tells me, still rubbing her neck. She looks toward the ground as she says the next part, as though she's embarassed. "It must be nice for you," she says quietly. "being good at everything. You even run well." She sounds as if she doesn't want to be complimenting me, but at the same time she does.

"I'm good at basketball and swimming as well," I tell her. She blows out some air that sounds like a hissing snake, but it only lasts momentarily.

"Such a show off," she mutters. She says that, but I can tell she's impressed. It seems like she likes me because I'm good at different things, but she wishes I wasn't. She shouldn't mention it, then. The topic makes me kind of irritated. There's no pleasing her. But I can most definitely tease her.

"You've been giving me an attitude for the last few days," I say casually. "So why did you give me the baton?" There's another _tscht_ of her tongue, but it's quieter than usual. She knows I'm right.

"Another one of my mistakes," she says defiantly. That's one big mistake. "Fine," she says. "Make fun of me all you want."

She sounds like she's already been made fun of, though. If I was the first person to get on her case about it, she wouldn't be so accepting. I don't want to sound redundant, so what's the point of giving her more grief. "You must have suffered a bit from the students." She nods her head with a pout.

"But you know," she says with a smile again, "your mom came and bought us pizza. So it was okay."

She sounds like a little kid who is in the moment of what will be the happiest moment of their little life. I glance up and see that that's the exact expression on her face. This actually surprises me. I knew my mother liked Oh Ha Ni, but I didn't think she even came out today. "My mom?" I ask her. She nods with that goofy grin still on her face. "Typical," I say incredulously. "My mom is unstoppable. Other households say that the father or the children are the troublemakers. But in our family, mom is the troublemaker."

"Why?" she asks. "I like your mom a lot. Very much." I look up again from my iPod. Her smile isn't as goofy now, but instead, it's more respectful. She actually looks kind of . . . well, sweet.

"You like her that much?" I ask her. She nods.

"Yeah, I like her a lot. Even today, she came and bought us pizza and took some pictures too." The look on Ha Ni's face is still the same as a little kid's on Christmas morning. "I was happy," she says. The smile on her face makes me realize how true her words are. I wonder if she knows how nice she looks right now. Probably not.

"Oh really?" I ask. "Happy?" I can feel a small smile on my face too, but if she mentions it, it's a smirk. No way would I let her know what I'm feeling right now.

She doesn't mention it, though, and instead just nods and says, "Yeah, since I've never experienced my mom coming to school. She passed away early on." Her words make me look up again. She's never talked about her mom before. She doesn't seem to be too upset about it, though. "Of course my dad and my grandma came instead. But although I was thankful, I don't think I felt happiness." She gives a short laugh and her smile never fades. "Maybe that will hurt their feelings," she says worriedly. "But today, it felt as if my mom really came."

She amazes me. Most people would feel sorry for themselves and be all sad if they were explaining this. She stands there with her sunburnt face and her sore legs and smiles. Her words make me both sad and happy, strangely enough. I'm sad because hearing this, it seems as if I've always taken my mom for granted. She's always been there to cheer me on, but I've never even noticed. Oh Ha Ni's words are making me realize what it would be like if she weren't here. I'm happy because . . . well, I'm not sure why. It seems like just seeing her happy is making me happy. I'm happy because she finally got to experience something she's always wanted. In a way, I guess I'm happy because she's happy.

I'm starting to feel that tightness in my chest again. Why does it only happen when she's around? I don't even know what it is, so how can I stop it? I need to get her out of here before I try to do something about it. "Go down and ask for some pain relieving patches," I tell her.

She stretches as she says, "I've got to help with dinner too."

I don't like that. She shouldn't be working if she's in pain. "Just rest," I say before realizing what I'm revealing. I quickly follow with, "Then again, I'm sure you feel the need to help out since you're living off of us." I know it's not the nicest thing to say, but I can't sound too nice. With her crush on me, she'll definitely take things the wrong way.

I get up from my post and start heading towards my room. Before I get a few steps, though, I turn again, remembering a thought I had from earlier. "Also," I begin. Her arm is up in the air but quickly flies to the back of her head as if she was doing something behind my back. How childish.

"Huh?" she asks.

"That thing," I say. "The thing you were wearing this morning. What is it?"

She looks excited. "Oh! Stinky Butt Bboong Bboong," she says. She sees my blank stare. "You don't know?" she asks. Before I could even think to give her a response, not that I had one, she starts doing this little waddle-dance and singing some kid song with the goofiest grin I have ever seen on her face.

When she's done and sees my still-blank stare, her grin fades. She gives a small, nervous laugh. "It was cute," I tell her. (A/N: What Seung Jo says, "Gwi Ub Da," can mean "cute" or "have no ears") Let her figure that one out. I pad away quietly as she fumes.

"Fine," she says. "Make fun if you wish." I shut my door and walk towards my bed. I can hear her mumbling something else, but I can't distinguish the words. It probably wasn't meant for me anyway.

Flopping on my bed, I think back to not even ten minutes ago. She really shouldn't be working if she's in that much pain. But I cut myself off before I could say what I really felt. That would mean I care about her. Which I don't. She just has a nice smile. That makes my chest tighten when I see it. I huff loudly and bring a pillow up to smother my face. I groan into it as I realize that feeling is still there. It's like something is making my heart grow so big that it's about to burst out of my chest. What is she doing to me? I couldn't actually like her. It's not possible. Not with a personality like hers.

I sit up again as I come to this conclusion. I couldn't possibly like Oh Ha Ni with that personality of hers. It's too childish and silly. I expect to feel better after realizing that, but the tightness hasn't gone away. In fact, I'm noticing my heartbeat even more now, and it's getting faster.

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><p><strong>AN: DUN DUN DUN! Is Seung Jo that stupid? Oh Ha Ni may be stupid when it comes to books and school, but Baek Seung Jo is stupid when it comes to himself. I mean the guy doesn't even know what he wants to be with all that talent. He mentions in a later episode that he has no ambition. I think he has no ambition because he hasn't tried anything. He's too stuck in his own little bubble of a world to see that there are things he just needs to freaking TRY. Wow. I didn't realize this would get me so riled up. :)**

**Oh and BTW, I just wanted to say one thing. I honestly tried to write the race. I started it about five times, but I just couldn't get into it. I'm sorry to anyone who was looking forward to that scene, but I just couldn't do it. **

**Anyway, let me know how you liked this chapter in a review please! :D**


	14. Episode 3: Only One Glass

**Disclaimer: Whoever owns Playful Kiss must be a pretty happy person, what with owning Seung Jo and all, but as you probably know, that person is not me.**

**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving, my lovely readers! Those that are still with me anyway. It seems like a lot of my normal readers didn't review my last chapter. I hope you guys aren't dead or something! That would make me sad. :( **

**I decided to wait until I started my Thanksgiving break before starting another chapter just because I had tests to study for. You know teachers. They want to give tests right before break so we don't have homework, which I'm glad for. :) But on top of that, I kinda maybe sorta got a little (totally) absorbed in watching InuYasha on Netflix . . . So yeah. And I started crocheting a scarf and I knitted my friend a hat for her birthday. Wow. Now that I think about it, I've been busy. Anyway, I won't keep you waiting any longer!**

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><p>Episode 3: Only One Glass<p>

"Baek Seung Jo! We're going to dinner now. Come downstairs!" Mother's voice carries up from the living room into the common area upstairs. We're supposed to be going to Oh Ki Dong's restaurant to celebrate Ha Ni's good grades. Mother told me that we would be eating a late dinner after the restaurant closed, so I had a snack earlier in the afternoon.

I slowly make my way downstairs after grabbing my iPod from my room. I don't know if I can handle the whole family without it. Wait. I mean my family and Oh Ha Ni's. Why did I only say one? I shake my head as I walk down the stairs. Mother, father, and Eun Jo are waiting for me. Mother has a big smile on her face. I think she might be more proud of Oh Ha Ni than Oh Ha Ni is of herself.

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><p>Sitting at the table after dinner with my earbuds in, I smile to myself. I have to admit. Ha Ni's father makes really good food. I have a feeling everyone else thought so too. The adults are having a lively conversation and from their expressions, they seem to be enjoying themselves. I don't bother taking out my earbuds to hear what they're talking about, but I look at Oh Ha Ni. She seems to be having a good time too. She almost looks like a child at a holiday party. Her hairstyle doesn't help. It's all gathered up on the side of her head like a four year old did it. Eun Jo looks like he wants to be anywhere but here. I know the feeling.<p>

I scroll through a playlist I made a few days ago. Why are there never any good songs that I feel like listening to? I decide to shut the music off and play a game. Right then I hear, "And thank you so much, Seung Jo." I turn and look up. Oh Ki Dong is looking at me with a gratful smile. "You really are impressive," he says with a thumbs up.

"No," I tell him, being modest. I can feel a nervous smile on my face. I don't know exactly what he's talking about since I wasn't listening to the conversation, but I can imagine that he's probably talking about my role in helping Ha Ni boost her grades. I was the one who helped her get the grade, but she's the one who really tried and went for it.

Before I can tell him that, though, mother decides to butt in. "Oh not at all!" she says. I glance over at her and can feel my smile drop from my face. "Getting someone like Seung Jo to tutor her is even more impressive." She sets down her chopsticks and stands up. "I'm so thankful!" She bows to Oh Ki Gong with what looks like the deepest gratitude.

I can't believe her. She acts like I'm some hermit who doesn't like anyone and has no friends. Just because I'm not inviting people over all the time or staying out until late with the idiots that roam around town doesn't means I'm difficult to get along with. I just prefer to be around people that aren't stupid. Unfortunately, those people are few and far between.

Oh Ki Gong pushes out his chair and stands up along with my mother. "What are you doing?" he asks her. "I'm supposed to be saying thank you!" He bows low as he says, "Thank you!"

"Oh, not at all! I'm more thankful!" mother says as she bows back. I swear if they try and thank each other one more time, I think I might just get up and walk out.

Eun Jo seems to have the same thoughts as me because he says to mother, "Stop. Your hair is going to fall into the food." Everyone laughs as mother smiles and sits down. Nice one, kid. But you do know that her hair is up, right? Ha Ni reaches over and strokes his hair softly before he bats her hand away. I decide to go back to my game.

"Look here," father says. "Can't go about a night like this without a drink, right?" I can tell where this is going, and it doesn't look good. "How about it?" he asks. "Does our main star want to have a drink?" He holds out the pitcher to Ha Ni. I have to admit, whether she takes the drink or not, the expression on her face is absolutely priceless.

"Me too?" she asks incredulously. She looks so excited that someone thinks she's old enough. Her father seems surprised and can only stare at her and mumble for a moment when she looks to him for permission.

He regains his composure after a short time and says hesitantly, "Sure, since an adult is giving it to you, just have one drink." They laugh as Ha Ni holds out her cup to my father.

"Here," he says as he pours her a drink. I have a feeling giving her alchohol is a bad idea, but I keep my thoughts to myself. My father seems to mumble something and mother laughs. After he's done with her glass, he comes toward me with the pitcher. "Seung Jo too," he says. I hold my cup steady as he pours me some too. I've had it before, but only once when father took me to dinner without mother or Eun Jo. He told me then that it was a father's duty to help his son become a man. I'm sure mother knew nothing about it and never will.

"Then lift your glasses," says Oh Ki Dong. We raise our glasses as he makes a toast. "A toast to our wonderful children!"

"Cheers!" everyone but me shouts. We all clink our glasses together, even Eun Jo, who is drinking soda. I don't think father thinks it's time for him to "be a man" yet. I take a sip of mine and set it back on the table. I'm not into drinking much.

I can tell it's definitely Ha Ni's first time drinking. She takes a sip and gives her cup the weirdest look. I have a feeling she wasn't expecting what she tasted. Mother looks at her and says to her, "But, Ha Ni, you really worked hard. I was so surprised!" Ha Ni smiles and perks up at that. I'm not sure why. Mother basically just said she didn't have faith that Ha Ni could do it.

Her father joins in the conversation. "You know, Ha Ni's nickname is 'Noah's snail'."

"'Noah's snail'?" mother asks Ha Ni.

"Yes," Ha Ni says. "My grandmother used to call me that."

"The Noah of Noah's Ark?" my fathere asks.

Oh Ki Dong seems excited that he knows of it. "Exactly! All kinds of animals got onto that Ark, right?" It sounds as if he's not sure himself. "But this snail, no one took care of it. So all night long, the snail inched tirelessly." He starts making a crawling motion with the strangest look on his face. "And at last," he says, "inch by inch, that snail finally got on the Ark."

Oh Ha Ni claps her hands together and smiles. "I'm good at anything where I have to do it for a long period of time," she giggles. That must mean she's an expert on liking me. I don't know how she carried a torch for me for four years. She brings her cup up to her lips for another drink. I have a feeling by the end of the night, she won't be able to walk. Hopefully, though, we'll be home by the time that happens. She takes a drink, puckers her lips, and sighs like it's sweet relief. I doubt it, though. It's probably just a lot for her to handle.

Her father leans over and motions to her cup. "This is Pohang liquor from my hometown, but there isn't an ounce of wather in it." Ha Ni takes another drink as he continues. "It seems alright when drinking it, but it'll hit you hard all at once."

"Oh really?" father asks. He looks at the cup like it's liquid gold as he takes another sip. Ha Ni also brings the cup to her lips again.

Oh Ki Dong turns to address my father. "My friend, you like crabs." He takes a ladle full of crabs and puts them on his plate.

Father smiles as he looks up at his friend. "Man, even when we were young you were always looking out for me. Still taking care of me like this?" They laugh like the best friends they are.

"I heard," says mother, "when my husband was younger, you always packed a lunch for him." Oh Ki Dong seems embarrassed, but laughs along with everyone.

"Well, we lived it up a bit," he says modestly.

"We really stuck together, eh?" says father. "We even had a band together." Oh no. For the second time tonight, I know where this is going, and it doesn't look good.

"Oh?" says mother. "I've never heard that before."

Ha Ni's father tries to intervene. "Ah, we never _had_ a band. We just said that we should start one."

Ha Ni seems to perk up. "Should I go get the guitar?" she asks excitedly. Before I know it, she's running upstairs while my father and hers are standing up and moving tables and chairs around to set up a stage. Within seconds, she's back with two guitars in her hands and everyone is moving to get a good view of what is sure to be a show.

I stay where I am and don't get up and join mother, Eun Jo, and Ha Ni as they gather around a small table. I'm still playing games on my iPod, but I leave the music off. I knew father had a band, but I've never really heard him sing seriously before. This will be interesting. The two men sit down to get ready. They start whistling and playing the guitars as they look at each other. It seems as if they're having a pretty easy time getting back into the swing of it.

_Every day with you_

_Taking in the morning sun,_

_Every day with you_

_I want to open my eyes._

Father starts to sing. It's a love song with an easy rhythm, and the girls are swaying back and forth like hopeless romantics. I watch Oh Ha Ni for a moment and can detect the slightest wobble at the end of each sway as she starts to go the other way. The Pohang is definitely taking effect. I look back down at my iPod and close the game right as she glances over her shoulder at me. She can't tell I can see her. I pretend to be riveted to my iPod, when in reality, it's just on the home screen. I don't know what she's thinking about, but she seems to be enjoying the music.

_Every day with you (Every day with you)_

_Just the two of us,_

_Every day with you (Every day with you)_

_I want to talk with you._

_The streets filled with the morning rains,_

_The flaming sun setting in the evening,_

_Everything around us,_

_I want to share it with you._

_Every day with you_

_In the arms of night_

_Every day with you (Every day with you)_

_I want to fall asleep._

_The streets filled with the morning rains,_

_The flaming sun setting in the evening,_

_Everything around us,_

_I want to share it with you._

_Every day with you (Every day with you)_

_I want to fall asleep._

_Every day with you (Ah really)_

_Every day with you (Ah really)_

_Every day with you_

They're actually pretty good. They harmonies sound nice and they can really play. Even if it's not my style all the time, it sounds nice right now. I watch as Ha Ni takes another drink of the Pohang liquor. Her and mother both are giggling like children as mother blows a kiss to father. He looks straight at her as he sings, "Every day with you." That reminds me of someone else I know.

I seem to spend every day with Oh Ha Ni. I guess, in a way, this song could pertain to us. But that's about the only part. I don't think I want to open my eyes and see her every morning, just the two of us. All of a sudden, there's this little voice in the back of my mind that pipes up just loud enough to hear over the music. "Really?" it asks in a taunting voice. I shake my head to try to get rid of it.

As the song ends, my thoughts are interrupted by both girls screaming and clapping their hands. Eun Jo covers his ears with his hands. "You're all so loud," he complains. I've got to agree with him there.

Ha Ni seems to be the louder of the two, though, as she shouts, "Oppa! Oppa! Oppa!" The fathers take their bows as they finish. Oh Ha Ni gets up and grabs her father's guitar and sets it down.

"This is so much fun," says my mother. She turns to me. "Hey, Seung Jo. Why don't you play a song too?"

I look up. "Are you drunk?" I ask her. I haven't played in years.

"Oh my," she says dejectedly. "Don't be like that and just play a song." The look on her face and the tone of her voice tell me the answer to my question. She's wasted.

"Let him be," pipes Ha Ni. I'm surprised. I would have thought she would want to hear me play. She laughs, but then her face becomes serious. She pins me with a glare full of judgment as she continues. "Would the great Baek Seung Jo sing in a shabby place like this?" Wait. Where did that come from?

Her father turns to her and laughs. "Are you drunk?" he asks her.

"Drunk?" she asks incredulously. "I didn't even finish one glass." She doesn't think she's drunk, but her body is betraying her. She's swaying back and forth on her stool even as she's talking and laughing. She gets serious again, though, as she seems to be thinking out loud.

"A pain," she says softly. She brings her arm up to rest on her father's shoulder. "Dad," she mutters.

"Yes?" her father asks with a laugh.

She's still talking to him, but she's looking straight at me. "He said I was a total pain." That gets my attention. I knew getting her drunk was a bad idea. "That means we're living off of them," she continues.

Mother turns to me and fixes me with a strong look of disapproval. "Really?" she asks me.

Ha Ni's father laughs nervously and asks me, "Is that right?"

What do I say? I mean, I said that, but I didn't mean it. I mean, I kind of did. But not in the way that they think. I mean, I know there's only one way to take that, but I didn't mean it as seriously as they're taking it. I was just teasing her. Like I always do. I'm caught up on my words even as I say, "No, it's not like that."

"He's said something right." I look over and Eun Jo has decided to add his two cents. Kid, you are really not helping.

"Baek Eun Jo!" my father reprimands.

Oh Ha Ni speaks again. "Baek Seung Jo, are you that great? Even if you are great, is it okay to ignore people? You told me not to say anything about living together. Then how do I explain? Did you really have to say such things in front of all those people?" I know without her saying it that she's talking about when she first talked to me. When I rejected her. "You're constantly a jerk!" She yells the last part and nearly falls off her chair. Her father has to steady her so she stays upright.

I can't deal with this right now. "Let's go," I say suddenly.

Her father agrees. "Oh, okay." He tries to get up until Oh Ha Ni pulls him back to his seat.

"Look at that, look at that," she says, pointing her finger at me. "Completely ignoring what people say. Always cynical, laughing at others, choosing the exact words to make people feel bad!" She sighs. "I really, completely don't like him."

Her father turns and asks her, "Are you drunk again?" What does he mean "again?" It's her first drink. I think he's had enough himself. He tries to steady her, though, when she starts to fall off her stool again.

"Ha Ni, you dislike Seung Jo that much?" my mother asks. "I thought you two looked really good together at the sports festival." The tone in her voice tells me that this really disappoints her. "I didn't know you disliked him that much."

Ha Ni slaps her legs for emphasis as she says, "Yes, I don't like him. Mother, Father, and Eun Jo, I like all of you." She points that accusing finger at me again. "But I don't like Baek Seung Jo!" I know she's drunk, and I shouldn't care, but for some reason, my heart skips a beat. It feels like someone just took something small and sharp and poked me right in the center of my chest.

She's slurring her speech and she's about to fall off her chair. The sight is really pretty funny. "Really?" I ask.

"Yeah!" She looks at me like I'm stupid for even asking such a thing.

I cock my head to the side. "You're saying different things," I tell her. I wonder if she'll get it before I say it.

"What?" Apparently not.

I'm about to be a jerk again. "'Actually, I don't call you Seung Jo.'" She shakes her head in confusion. I can feel the smirk on my face as I recall the words in her letter. I continue. "'I call you the "Spirit of the Forest." After that day, I was hurt for several days. I had a rough time-'"

"HEY!" she yells at me and stands up from her chair.

I can feel a small smile on my face now as I stare at the ground. "'At least once, I pass by you in school. But,'" I pause and look straight at her. '"I still miss you every day. In my dreams, you are so sweet.'"

"HEY!" she yells again. She grabs a pancake from the table and hurls it at me. She has surprisingly good aim for being drunk. I can tell she's just fuming. It's rather humorous actually. "Stupid jerk," she says angrily.

Eun Jo pipes up. "What is that? Spirit of the Forest?"

I can tell mother is starting to understand. "Ha Ni," she says. "Did you write a letter to Seung Jo?"

"Wait," her father says. "That guy . . ." he looks from Ha Ni to me and back. "It was Seung Jo?" I'm guessing that means she talked to him about it.

I grab a napkin and start wiping off my shoulder where the pancake hit me. It didn't really leave anything, but I'm making a show about it. "Did you have to go this far?" she asks me. "Did you memorize it to make fun of me?"

"What am I supposed to do when I can memorize it after one look?" I ask her.

She nods. "Fine," she says softly as she rests her hand on the table next to her. "You're weak if you like someone." She's putting an awful lot of her weight on that hand. "But," she continues, "now that's over. It's completely over. The last remaining feelings I had, well, they're all completely gone."

That makes me laugh. Does she really think I'll believe that? She's living in the same house as the guy she likes. The same guy she's liked for four years without having any indication that he has the slightest interest in her. "Really?" I ask her for the second time tonight.

The glare on her face never wavers, though her words slur together and her eyes are more than half closed a lot of the time. "Yes," she says defiantly. "You're so low. Since you're so dirty and low, I can't do it anymore. Baek Seung Jo, you! I really hate you!" She tries readjusting her hand on the table, but misses and crumples to the floor.

"Ha Ni!" my mother cries.

"Hey hey hey," my father says.

They all rush around her to help pick her up. As they get her back in a standing position, she asks, "What is this? Stupid jerk!" Her head lolls down to her chest where it stays. She's out.

"She's stupid to the bone," comments Eun Jo. Mother runs over and smothers his face with her hand. She looks at me urgently.

"Seung Jo," she says. "Hurry and piggyback her."

"Me?" I ask.

"Then shall I?" she asks me.

"It's fine, I can do it," her father says. "Here, get on Dad's back. Alright, alright. Get on." He tries to maneuver her onto his back, but ends up falling over himself in his drunken state.

"Oh my, oh my," my mother cries.

Father helps Oh Ki Dong up. "Are you drunk too? It really does hit you quick, doesn't it?"

"See?" my mother says. "Hurry!"

I sigh. "So annoying," I complain as I stand up and make my way over to her. I grab both her arms and drape them over my shoulders as I get in front of her. When they seem like they'll stay for the moment, I bend down and grab the backs of her thighs. Her jumper is short, so it doesn't cover her legs. I brace myself and lift her up onto my back. She's surprisingly light.

"Thank you," mother says to me as she walks to the door and holds it open for me. "Walk on ahead. Eun Jo and I will get the men to come along." I head out the door and onto the street.

Walking with Ha Ni on my back isn't easy if only because she's too drunk to hang on. Her arms keep slipping and I keep having to hoist her back up higher on my back. As I get to the corner, I hear the men stumbling out of the restaurant and the shuffling of feet. I don't look back, though, as I feel Ha Ni starting to stir. Her arm that was hanging off comes up and hugs my shoulder. "Stupid jerk," she mumbles against my shoulder. I stop and look back at her. Her cheek is pressed against me with her head facing away from me.

I look away again as I say quietly, "Oh Ha Ni, you're amazing. You eventually get your piggyback ride."

"Huh?" she mutters. "What?" She's forming words now. I think she's slightly more awake.

"I said OH Ha Ni is great." Her fingers seem to caress my shoulder for just a moment right before a shiver goes through me. That's weird. It's not that cold out. She makes a slight noise as I hoist her higher on my back. I look back at her to make sure she's okay. I feel her head rise from my shoulder as she wakes up a little more.

"Hey," she says suddenly. "Let me down. Why am I on your back?"

I don't think I'm going to answer her at all when I notice something. "You said you got over me." I tell her.

"Huh? Yeah, I did. Why?"

"If so, why is it beating so hard?" I ask her.

"What?" she asks.

"Are you okay?" She doesn't answer me. "Heart. Your heart." Her eyes go wide and she brings a hand to her chest. It's an interesting feeling, having her pressed against me. It's not a feeling I entirely dislike, I admit to myself. "But," I say as her hand slides back onto my shoulder. "It's more serious than I thought, Oh Ha Ni."

"What?" she asks skeptically. This will really get her going. I'm interested to see what she'll do being on my back.

"Do you think you'll be able to have a baby and raise it being the way you are?" She's silent for a moment as she starts to understand what I'm saying. She looks down at her chest then back up at me.

"HEY!" she screams as she pushes me. Hard. She leans back and starts to flail as she feels me waver. Idiot. Pushing the person carrying you is going to make you fall. I can hear the screams of her and the rest of the family behind us.

Before I know it, Oh Ha Ni is on the ground rubbing her butt. The rest of the family has caught up to us and they're frantically flocking around her. I just stand back away from everything and smile. Oh Ha Ni, you've got them wrapped around your finger, don't you. Even Eun Jo is watching with a concerned look on his face, though I know he would deny it if I ever mentioned it.

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><p>Later in bed, I stare at the ceiling. Eun Jo is snoring in his bed and the wind is whistling at the window. What was I thinking earlier? I didn't mind the fact that Ha Ni was all pressed up against me? I grab my pillow and put it over my face. What is wrong with me? Maybe it was the little bit of Pohang that I had. Yeah, that's it. It was the Pohang.<p>

Eun Jo rolls over in his sleep and murmurs something. He's had a habit of doing that lately. Maybe something is troubling him. He shifts again and I can hear what he says this time. "He won't admit it."

What? Did he just say what I think he said? What could that possibly mean and who is he talking about? Not me, surely. There couldn't be anything for me to admit. Could there? Only then do I realize that when Oh Ha Ni was falling from my back, I refered to all of us, for the second time that night, as one family.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello everyone! Wow, that was really long. That was definitely my longest one yet. I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think by leaving a review. If it was horrible or if you loved it, let me know, please!**

**-TheMidwestJess**


	15. Episode 3: Stuff It

**Disclaimer: Happy birthday to me! Unfortunately, no one bought me Baek Seung Jo, so I still don't own him or Playful Kiss.**

**A/N: Hello my wonderful readers! It's true! Today really is my birthday. :D I'm turning seventeen. Congratulations and gifts are mandatory for another update. -_- Lol. Naw, I'm just kidding. I'm so happy I have all the wonderful friends that I do who give me awesome presents on my birthday . . . well, not quite. They're giving them to me on Saturday because that's when my party is. We're watching a bunch of disney movies. :D Anyway, let me get onto the **_**real**_** point of my author's note.**

**THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! You guys have been leaving such wonderful reviews and it just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that people love my stuff this much. I honestly never pictured myself getting past a few chapters (like two), but all your reviews kept me going. Even though this isn't the first story I've ever posted, it's the first one where I actually want to continue and still have ideas, and it's **_**definitely**_** the first one for which I've had such a strong positive response. So I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. :D Onto Baek Seung Jo!**

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><p>Episode 3: Stuff It<p>

I lean in and brush the hair away from her face. Her cheek feels hot under my touch, but that may just be from her proximity to me. I smile when I think of that. The fact that I have that power over her is just something that makes me happy. I take another step and her hips brush mine. I bend my neck and whisper in her ear, "Oh Ha Ni, I-"

I shoot straight up in my bed. I frantically look around to try to get my barings. Wasn't I with Ha Ni just a second ago? As I see the curtains and Eun Jo's bed, I realize I'm in my room, and it was a dream. I clutch my t-shirt above my chest. My heart is pounding like crazy and my breathing is erratic. I reach up to smooth my mussed hair to try to gain some control back. My body is betraying me, though. It won't slow down.

I flop back on my bed in an attempt to slow my racing heart. I was dreaming about Ha Ni. About touching her cheek and smoothing her hair. About her hips touching mine. And after said dream, I wake up to find myself having a heart attack and my breathing sounding like sleep apnea. This is not right.

As I lay in bed, I think back to last night. I'd had a sip of that Pohang liquor, but not nearly as much as Oh Ha Ni. _I_ was at least sober enough to walk home _while carrying her on my back_. Oh crap. Is that what happened? Don't get me wrong, I remember everything perfectly, but I'm just now realizing something. I commented on Ha Ni's breasts last night. Why did I do that again? It's not like they were bothering me . . .

I shake my head and sit back up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. I can't be thinking about that now. I slide my feet into my slippers as I groan. My head is throbbing. I can only imagine how Ha Ni feels with probably four times more liquor to sleep off. Standing up, I shuffel my way towards the door. I pull it open and start to head downstairs. Before I can get too far, though, I see Oh Ha Ni standing over by her door like she just woke up too. Not surprising. I pause.

I feel my eyes go up and down as I take in the sight before me. She's wearing gray cut-off sweats that come just past her knees. Her shirt is actually two. The one underneath has . . . are those ducks? The top has pink and white stripes all over it. The overall effect is really kid-like. My eyes roam higher as I take in the rest of her. Her hair is pulled up and to the side, although I can tell she hasn't done too much with it yet. The look on her face when she sees me is somewhat timid and almost guilty. "Yesterday," she starts, but she doesn't get far after I start to turn away again.

Before I go too far, though, a thought comes to me. Did she . . .? I turn around to check. Her eyes meet mine and go wide like a deer's as she tries to figure out what I'm thinking. My eyes lower almost of their own accord to confirm my suspicions. And yes, there it is. Her breasts are bigger and definitely lumpier. Does she really think anyone would buy that? She obviously put some sort of padding down that empty bra of hers. I can't believe she would try that. I shake my head and walk downstairs for breakfast, or I guess a late lunch.

Before Ha Ni comes down, I stand on the landing of the stairs and think to myself. She does realize that you don't have to have large breasts to have and raise a baby, right? She has to. My theory? She knows, but she likes the aesthetic change. And she thinks I'll like the change. What she doesn't know? I was happier last night when I was carrying her than I was this morning when I saw what she had done. All I felt then was, strangely, disappointment.

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><p><strong>AN: Again, thank you to everyone who reviews! I love you all so much. :D I'll let you all know if I got what I want for my birthday in my next update. I'll be busy at least until Sunday, so don't expect anything too soon. But know that I'm sending smiles your way just because you took the time to read this. I know it was short, but I cranked it out in about an hour just because it's been a week since I posted. I just wanted to get something up again. **

**Anyway, please please please review, and I will see you guys next time!**


	16. Episode 3: That Will Teach Her

**Disclaimer: However hard I wish, I cannot own Baek Seung Jo or Playful Kiss. Unfortunately.**

**A/N: Hello once again audience! (If you just read that in Tobuscus' voice, you are a nerd like me) I have a confession. I just realized I made a mistake in my last chapter. I wrote at the end that Seung Jo went and sat down at the table and thought about Oh Ha Ni, but after getting about halfway through this, I realized I just wasn't paying attention when I was writing that. Seung Jo doesn't go sit at the table. He goes downstairs and has to go outside. So I apologize, and I went in and fixed it. But on the upside, I finally have some time to write another chapter! :D Here it is!**

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><p>Episode 4: That Will Teach Her<p>

Walking downstairs to breakfast, or lunch, as it happens to be, I'm momentarily confused. Where's mother? And Eun Jo? I glance through the kitchen window to the backyard. Eun Jo is trying to jump rope and mother is setting plates on the patio table. Seeing the bright light of the sun sends a throbbing through my head. That light is just too much. Squinting and scratching my head, I slowly make my way to the patio door. Mother sees me and waves me out. For a moment, I wonder why Ha Ni isn't down yet, but I don't really give it too much thought.

"Baek Seung Jo," calls mother. Her smile is almost as bright as that sun, and it's not helping my hangover. Anyone can smile when they don't have tiny people with hammers pounding on the inside of their skull.

I wave my hand and look over at Eun Jo. He's trying his hardest, I can tell, but he's not very good. He's getting frustrated and he looks like he's about to give up. I walk over to the half wall and sit down. Looking back through the window into the house, I again wonder what Oh Ha Ni could possibly be doing that would take this long. Right then, I see feet appear on the stairs. Those feet continue down the stairs and my eyes follow up the legs as they're revealed. Just before the face appears, I catch myself. What am I doing? Nothing good, I know that. I turn my attention back to Eun Jo as Ha Ni makes her way across the living room to the back door.

The door opens and mother takes notice. "Oh, Ha Ni," she says cheerfully. "Come here. Since the weather is nice, we're eating out on the porch."

"Okay," Ha Ni replies timidly. She seems to be kind of shy. I can imagine. I know I would be at least a little nervous if I was trying to decieve people too. I sneak another glance at the . . . enhanced assets. Still there. Ha Ni walks toward the table and sits down next to mother. Eun Jo stops jumping.

"Alchoholic," he accuses. Both girls turn, Ha Ni pretends to cry, but neither says a word about the comment.

Mother leans over. "The soup is very good. I made it just for you."

"Thank you," says Ha Ni. Maybe mother made her hangover soup. I heard father and her talking about it about a year ago when father went out with a potential client and didn't get home till late. I'm not surprised mother decided to make it. Ha Ni's is probably far worse than mine. I kind of feel bad for her for a moment, but then I remember last night. Nevermind.

Oh Ha Ni continues. "Yesterday, I made many mistakes, didn't I?" I'll say.

"What do you mean mistakes?" mother asks. "It was so much fun because of you." Fun? She calls that fun? She wasn't the one getting verbally abused. She wasn't the one who had to carry a drunk Ha Ni home on her back. They both giggle and continue without any glance toward my astounded face.

"Eat well," says Ha Ni. At the same time, I look back over at Eun Jo. His jump roping isn't the best, and he knows it. He wouldn't admit it, but this is really frustrating him that he's not good at it. His face is screwed up in a scowl, and he's about to throw the rope down and walk away.

"Eun Jo," I call. He walks over with the rope in his hands. "Hold the jump rope tight," I tell him, grabbing both of his hands. "Jump high and have your wrists go by the rhythm of the jumps. One, two, one, two. Got it?"

He nods his head with renewed determination. As he returns to his place a few steps away, Ha Ni speaks with mother again. "It's so good," she says.

"Really?" asks mother. "Eat up."

"Yes," says Ha Ni.

Eun Jo tries again to jump properly, and I try to send positive thoughts his way, but it seems as if he just can't get it. I notice Ha Ni look over and watch him. In the midst of eating her breakfast and/or lunch, she says to him, "Instead of turning your arms, turn your wrists."

I can tell Eun Jo is not amused. "It's fine," he says. "You just eat, you alchoholic."

She cringes and looks dejectedly down at her plate. "Okay," she says quietly.

Eun Jo keeps on working at that jump rope, but he still isn't getting it. Finally, giving up, he shakes the rope in aggravation. "Forget it!" he cries.

Ha Ni hasn't lost her spirit completely. She turns back once again with a smile almost as bright as mother's. "Eun Jo," she says to him. "Close your armpits like this." She imitates the gesture by bringing her elbows close to her body.

"If you're so good at it, then you do it!" he yells. He throws the rope down at her feet. There's a moment's hesitation where it looks like Ha Ni isn't sure if she should, but the moment doesn't last long. She sets her spoon down and picks the rope up from the ground. I decide that with her moving, Eun Jo would need to move to where I'm sitting now in order to not get hit. I cross the patio to a chair to avoid overcrowding. Ha Ni with a flying anything is not a good mix.

As she sets herself up, I can tell Eun Jo is just waiting for her to fail. I would be if I hadn't seen her at sports day. If I hadn't distracted her, there's a good chance she would have won. She starts to jump. I can tell it gets on Eun Jo's nerves that she's able to jump way better than he can. The boy doesn't take being upstaged well. He really gets going when she does one of the jumps where you cross the rope. Yet, at the same time, I can tell he's absolutely fascinated. He wants to learn from her for once. Mother, too, seems to be impressed.

"Oh my, oh my, oh my! Hey! You're really good!" She may be good, but she's not a very good multitasker. She doesn't seem to be paying attention to what she's shoved down her shirt, and it definitely doesn't look natural. I know mother doesn't notice it because she's not looking for it. Eun Jo doesn't notice because . . . well, at least I hope he doesn't. He is definitely too young for that.

"Oh my," mother says again. "You're really good."

Ha Ni looks at Eun Jo. "First," she instructs, "close your armpits like this." Her rope stops spinning and she points to her toes. "Then you jump with the ends of your feet. _You_ jump with your whole foot, which is why it keeps getting caught." She turns the rope handles so they're facing him and holds them out. "Here, try it," she tells him. When he doesn't move, she waves her hand spastically. "Come here," she says again. Again, nothing. She rushes toward him with her hand outstretched. "Hurry!" She grabs his wrist and pulls him up. He reluctantly stands and allows her to position him. "Here," she says. "Hold it. Close them," she tells him, smoothing his shoulders down. She stands off to the side as Eun Jo prepares to try.

He swings the rope and tries for another time. He looks slightly awkward still. "Close them more," she tells him. "Good!"

"Oh my, it's working," exclaims mother.

Ha Ni leans in and studies him for a moment. "That's right," she says like she's thinking out loud. "I heard your taking a musical jump rope test? Did you choose a song?"

"I'm going to do Sunset Glow," he tells her plainly.

"Sunset Glow?" she mimics quizzically. "Instead of that, try Jump Jump Jump." She takes the jump rope from his hands once again. Eun Jo moves to make room. As she starts to jump, she starts to hum.

"That's fun!" cries mother. "Eun Jo, do this one!" Eun Jo's face is a mask of contemplation. Oh Ha Ni is really helping him. Mother turns to me. "Seung Jo!" I glance up from the paper I'd been skimming. That smile of hers is back. "Isn't Ha Ni really good?" she asks me. All the while, Ha Ni is just humming away. Mother decides she doesn't need my response as I sink lower in my seat and raise the paper. I was doing a fine job teaching Eun Jo. He just gets frustrated. That's all.

My mother praises Ha Ni again. "Doing well!"

Oh Ha Ni stops jumping and hands the rope back to Eun Jo. "Try it," she says. I glance away from some article about some famous potter from Seoul who, with his girlfriend, created a piece of pottery with their feet. Before I can even look at Eun Jo, I spot something on the ground. It looks like a pair of socks.

"What's that?" I ask. Everyone stops for a moment to see what I'm looking at.

"Oh my," mother says. "What is it?" I see Ha Ni's face crinkle in confusion for a moment. Then, a look of understanding and horror hits her face. Wait . . .

My eyes go down and converge on her chest. Her chest. Her . . . lopsided chest. No way. That is just too good. I can't believe my luck. Her gaze drops too, and she notices. Her hands spring up to block her chest from view, but it's too late. I've already seen it. Or, didn't see it, I guess.

"It looks like some kind of socks," I say to rattle her chain.

Her head starts shaking furiously. "NOOOOOOOO!" she screams as she tackles the pair of socks.

I shake my head for an entirely different reason. At least now she won't try to be so fake anymore.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello, wonderful people! I'm glad I finally got another chapter written! I actually fell asleep in the middle of writing this. Let me know if you get the reference I put in here. I'm sure it won't be that difficult for those of you that have seen the show. Anyway, I love you all so dearly, and I really hope you review to tell me what sucks and what's great!**


	17. Episode 3: Justifiable Murder

**Disclaimer: *Insert clever remark stating that I don't own Baek Seung Jo or Playful Kiss***

**A/N: Hey everyone! I swear to you, I am not dead. I just had finals and holiday and family stuff to deal with. I am deeply apologetic for my absence. Now to get to the good stuff. Let's go!**

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><p>Episode 3: Justifiable Murder<p>

Where is it? Where did my English book go? I search through the books on my desk, but it's not there. I quietly stand up, trying not to disturb everyone. I make my way to the door to go search my locker. In the hallway, it's silent. Everyone is studying. I find my book in my locker and head back down the hall.

By the time I get back to class with my book in hand, things aren't so quiet anymore. I walk in the room to find people out of their seats and scrambling around the room. A group of kids closest to me notice me walking in and disperse. As each group around the room becomes aware of my presence, every one of them stops talking and goes back to their seats. I can tell something's going on, but I'm just not sure what yet.

Walking back to my seat, English book in hand, I glance around at each person. Each is acting like they're too absorbed in something to return my look. When I finally reach my seat, I set my book down on my desk before looking at the girl next to me. She came to me for homework help the other day. Now she won't even glance my way. I give up trying to get answers and move my book to look at my computer screen. What meets my eyes is something that convinces me I finally have permission to murder Oh Ha Ni.

The picture is of Ha Ni and I when I was helping her study for her exams. I remember that day in particular. She kept me up until one o'clock that night. I was so tired that I fell asleep right there on the desk and didn't wake up till about four to go to my own room. I remember that Ha Ni was asleep on the desk too when I woke up. But what didn't dawn on me until just now was that that meant we were sleeping at the desk together for three hours. Someone obviously realized it, though, because there's a picture of it right in front of me on my computer screen.

I can't believe what I'm seeing. I look over at the computer next to me to see if it's on their screen too. Of course. I stand up and look at the screen of the girl who wouldn't meet my gaze. It's on hers too. I can barely contain the irritation inside me. I ball my fist and sigh through my nose.

"Oh Ha Ni," I breath. The same girl collapses on her desk in a fit of tears. How dramatic. I furiously mess with my hair so I have something to do with my hands.

I storm out of the room in a fit, my books forgotten. I have to find Oh Ha Ni.

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><p><strong>AN: So I know that this is super short and isn't worthy of the forgiveness I'm asking for for being gone so long, but I do have another chapter coming up! It should be up within the next few hours. It will be an original scene about Seung Jo confronting Ha Ni about the picture. **

**Anyway, please review if you're not mad at me, or even if you are!**


	18. Episode 4: Angry?

**Disclaimer: I definitely don't own the dreamy Baek Seung Jo or the desirous Playful Kiss. (You see what I did there?)**

**A/N: Hey there everyone! It's good to be back! I felt like I needed to write this scene because the show didn't really address Baek Seung Jo's aggression all that well. They just kind of skipped to Ha Ni taking her friends over to the house and then he comes home and he's all like, "I told you to leave me alone, blah blah blah." I mean come on Seung Jo. You didn't even address the picture. You were just really cryptic about your irritation in general, and I don't like that.**

**But on another note, WE ARE FINALLY ON EPISODE FOUR! I can't wait until I can write the infamous scene that I know everyone's looking forward to reading . . . Bong Joon Gu's dance of course! :D Ha ha, I'm just kidding you guys. But really, I can't wait. But I bet you can't wait for this scene, so I will stop talking now and give Seung Jo the floor.**

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><p>Episode 4: Angry?<p>

Walking through the hallways, I can hear my breath come in shorter, angrier gasps. My heartbeat is pounding in my ears like a bass drum. Despite all this, though, I know my face is a deceptively calm mask. Someone who didn't know me most likely wouldn't notice anything wrong. This is proven when Hong Jang Mi steps out from a classroom and sees me.

"Baek Seung Jo, hey!" she calls. I just shake my head and keep moving. I walk right past her into the classroom she just came out of. I scan the room for Oh Ha Ni and can't find her. Her friends aren't there either. Ha Ni's teacher sees me and freezes.

"B-Baek Seung Jo," she stutters.

"Where is Oh Ha Ni?" I ask her slowly. I'm trying to keep calm. I'm trying to hold onto my anger, but something else is creeping in. I feel my cheeks heat up. I push the feeling away. I don't want to be anything but angry right now.

"She and her friends went to the bathroom." And you let them? You know they're just going to talk about everything. I have to find Ha Ni before she tells them . . . Well, what else could she tell them but the truth?

Without thinking too hard about it all, I turn on my heel and march out of the room and towards the ladies restroom. I bang on the door. "Oh Ha Ni!" I growl. My voice is low, but I know she can hear me. "I need to talk to you." I hear frantic squeaks and whispers behind the door.

" . . . can't go out there!"

" . . . but she has to explain . . ."

"Go!"

With that, Ha Ni is pushed out of the restroom by her friends. Half her hair is up in rollers and she has the look of a deer in headlights. I try not to, but my eyes do a once over. She's not shaking, but her cheeks are bright pink and I can see her throat move as she swallows.

"Baek Seung Jo, I don't-"

"You don't what?" I ask her. "You don't know where it came from?"

"Well," she says quietly. "I do know where it came from. I was opening my book to study and it fell out of the pages. Bong Joon Gu picked it up and everyone wanted to look at it. But I swear! I didn't even know it was in there!"

I take a deep breath. "How did it get in there then?" I ask her calmly.

"I think maybe mother took it and put it in there. Some of the other kids said they found it on her blog too." She doesn't really look all that frightened any more. She actually looks like she's concentrating really hard on something. Maybe she's just trying to figure out the mystery.

Well that's just great. Mother has ruined my life even further. "Well," I say, "it doesn't change anything. Just don't confirm anything. People can speculate what they want. I still don't want you talking to me at school or anything like that. Just stay away from me and stop interfering!"

She looks a little shocked. She shouldn't be. Did she really think that if people knew, I could be her buddy all of a sudden? I meant what I said. She really does annoy me, and I don't want her in my life. All she does is complicate it. I haven't been able to think straight ever since she moved in.

I'm about to leave, when she catches my arm. "Seung Jo," she says softly. I turn back to face her. Her eyes are peeking up at me through thick lashes. Her expression is concerned and somewhat puzzled. "The question isn't are you angry or not, because you are. The question is what you're angry about."

Angry? No, that's not it. I'm not angry that people will know we live together. Angry is the wrong word. I didn't want people to know that I helped Ha Ni. Now they'll know that I stayed up late with her trying to get her to pass. And they won't know about the blackmail and the picture. All they'll see is that the almighty Baek Seung Jo helped Oh Ha Ni because he wanted to. Because he had a soft spot for her.

So am I angry? No, I'm not. It's that feeling that started to come up earlier when I was talking to her teacher. My cheeks flush again. It's embarrassment, but it's not embarrassment about helping Ha Ni. People will think that I helped her because I like her. It's embarrassment about something that no one but me will know. They're not that far from the truth.

As soon as I think this, I notice that Ha Ni's hand is still resting on my arm. I look down and wrench my arm from her grasp. Staring hard into her eyes, mine filled with confusion, I turn and walk away. I don't know what I'm thinking. I need to get back to class.

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><p><strong>AN: And hello! I feel like I'm kinda iffy on this. I think I need to get back into the swing of Baek Seung Jo, so sorry if this felt a little OOC. It felt weird writing this. I kept wondering if he sounds to angry for BSJ, or if his knowledge of his feelings is consistent with where they were in the last few chapters. I was kinda too lazy to check. :/ **

**Let me know if this chapter felt weird to you or if you think BSJ should be more aware of his feelings than this compared to how they have been in previous chapters. Maybe that doesn't make any sense, but hopefully it does. **


	19. Episode 4: She's a Pain, But

**Disclaimer: Seung Jo is not mine and neither is Playful Kiss. There are only so many ways I can say that.**

**A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter! I decided since I'm on break, it would only be fair of me to update whenever I have time since I've been gone for so long. Oh, and by the way, I decided to skip the scene where Seung Jo comes home to find Ha Ni's friends and his mom hanging out. I just didn't really like that scene, but I think this one will be fun. So here we go!**

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><p>Episode 4: She's a Pain, But . . .<p>

Before I reach for the doorknob, I dry my hands on the towell and hear a door open and shut. It's soft and fairly close, so it must be Ha Ni coming out of her room. I don't really want to talk to her right now, but I'm not going to stay locked in my own bathroom. I open the door to see her right in front of me.

She doesn't look all that surprised to see me. Her face actually looks blank, like she's thinking about nothing. But her eyes give her away. They're filled with wariness and hesitation. She doesn't know what to say. I don't want to say anything, so I just walk past her towards my room. While I'm walking away, I expect her to say something, but she doesn't. This kind of irritates me. Shouldn't she have something she wants to say? I stop and turn back, thinking of the right words.

"Listen carefully," I say. She stops moving forward, but doesn't look at me, instead looking straight at her feet. "There's something I really hate," I continue. Her head starts to swivel my way, her eyes leading it. "It's when stupid people like you that don't realize or understand the situation act as if they know and blabber about it while annoying people." She opens her mouth like she's about to defend herself. "Don't make me repeat myself!" I say forcefully before she can speak. "When I said you were a pain, they weren't just empty words."

Her face is solemn and I know I've hurt her as I turn away and head to my room. I don't want to look back and see the pain in her eyes. But at the same time, I can't have her talking to everyone with reckless abandon about whatever she pleases. I can't have other people judging our situation before I can pass judgment myself. My whole brain is jumbled up and I can't think clearly enough to get it straightened out.

Slamming the door behind me, I walk over to my desk and fall into my chair. The pattern in the wood is suddenly fascinating. Or maybe it's just that I don't want to think about whatever feeling this is that keeps coming up. It's a feeling that I can't quite explain. Every time I'm around her, that tightness in my chest comes back. And when she didn't come home that night the flasher followed her, I felt that rock in my stomach get heavier and heavier with each minute I couldn't find her.

I sit at my desk for I'm not sure how long wondering what she's doing to me. Ha Ni's voice floating through the window brings me out of my musings.

"No, it's fine," she says. Her voice is low and doesn't sound like it has a smile in it. "I'm okay." A pause. I wonder who she's on the phone with. "He has every right. He must be thinking that I planned out everything." Now I'm especially curious as to who she's talking to. I wonder if they think I believe that. I don't think Ha Ni planned letting everyone see that picture. I even believe she didn't know it existed. But what I don't believe is that she's not happy the secret is out. She's had a crush on me for four years, and she finally gets a chance to be close to me, but can't even tell her friends about it. No, I'm sure that after this gloominess, she'll be happy once again. As I walk over to sit by the window, I find myself thinking something that doesn't quite surprise me anymore. I want her to be happy.

She sighs into the phone. "I said that's not how it is!" The other person must have said something upsetting because her tone is rather defensive. "If I were Seung Jo, I would have been angry too!" She would? I don't know. I think she wouldn't hide it in the first place. She would never be in my situation. "It must've been a big shock." There's a pause. "Alright," she says softly. "Bye."

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><p><strong>AN: Hello! So I know I told one or two of you that this was going to be up yesterday, and I apologize. It was my dad's birthday yesterday and I thought I would be done with this before the festivities really got going. I was wrong, though, obviously. But I would like to make a few comments.**

**Firstly, I really like doing this story, but I feel like since I took such a long break from it, I'm still trying to get back in the groove. If any of you feel like the styles don't match up or certain thoughts and feelings don't flow with what I've previously written, please, please let me know so I can go back and look at it. You guys are my judges. I want to make this story the best I can.**

**Secondly, I would like to say something unrelated to the story. I would like to announce that I checked my grades for this semester, and there was really only one class I was worried about. It was math analysis. Normally I'm good at math and I don't have to worry. I wasn't stressing too much over this, but I knew that with my grade sitting at a 92.1%, I wouldn't have a whole lot of room for error on the homework due at the end or the final. Of course, me being my procrastinating self, I only did enough work to get maybe a B+ on the homework right before the end, and for some reason, I almost bombed my final. (For me, bombing is a C. I got a B-.) But I checked my grades today, and with everything graded, I made it by the skin of my teeth, ladies and gentlemen! 90%, my friends! I can keep my 4.0 GPA! Yay!**

**Anyway, sorry for the long A/N, but I felt like that all needed to be said. :D Let me know if I'm insane in a review! Oh, and review the story, too. ;)**


	20. Episode 4: Not Just the Tiny One

**Disclaimer: I am quite obsessed with Baek Seung Jo and Playful Kiss as a whole, but I unfortunately don't own either one. So now we can move onto the show(story)!**

**A/N: You know what I think there should be? More fan art of PK. There really isn't much at all. The whole reason I started this story was because I was disappointed with the lack of fanfiction about it, especially the lack of strong, well-written fanfiction about it. I'm sorry, but if you can't follow the rules of grammar, please don't torture my brain by posting your story. Now that I sound like an awful person, let's get to the story!**

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><p>Episode 4: Not Just the Tiny One<p>

I'm in my room, buttoning up my school shirt when I hear small, girlish giggles coming from downstairs. I try not to pay it any mind. Mother and Ha Ni have become really close since Ha Ni moved in. Sometimes it's annoying, but regardless of how much I can't stand Oh Ha Ni, mother seems happier lately. I pick my tie up off my bed and slip it around my neck. I remember my dad teaching me how to tie it every time I put it on. Over twice, up and through. Simple. I grab my backpack and swing it onto my back. Making my way out of my room and towards the stairs, I make sure I have everything I need for classes today. It looks like it.

As I walk slowly down the stairs, I start to hear mother's voice and other, only slightly familiar girly voices floating up the stairwell. Before I reach the bottom, I see it's Ha Ni's two friends. Mother is talking with them, but the strange thing is that they're not in their uniforms. I check my mental calendar. No, we definitely have school today. What are they doing here? And what are they doing in _those_ clothes? I pause on the stairs and glance to my right. On the floor by the front door, there are bags packed like someone's going on a vacation. Is mother going to the spa or something?

As Ha Ni's friends notice me, their giggling dies. Mother turns to see what has gotten their attention and sees me on the steps. Dok Go Min Ah and Jung Joo Ri raise their hands and dip their heads slightly, giving me small waves. "Hi," they say sheepishly.

Mother, on the other hand, is anything but sheepish. "Seung Jo! You came down!"

At that moment, Ha Ni runs in through the front door, sliding to a stop by the steps. I glance toward her. I stop. She's not in her uniform either. No, that is definitely _not_ her uniform. My eyes slowly take in the sight before me. Her now-wavy hair is pulled up in a high ponytail with tendrils pulled out near her temples that frame her face. Her whole outfit is pink. I don't really notice much of what's on it other than that. I do notice, however, that she's wearing shorts. Folding her cardigan over her arm, she raises her hand in a slight wave, and scurries over to mother and the other girls.

"They're all ready and want us to come out quickly," she tells them.

"Oh, really?" Mother asks. She turns to the other girls. "Then shall we get going?" She's too enthusiastic for her own good. I still don't know what's going on. I get a sinking feeling in my stomach, however, when I notice a giant blow-up something on the floor between Ha Ni and mother. Mother runs to the stairs and looks up at me. "Seung Jo, you too," she says excitedly. I can almost picture her as a tiny dog with way too much energy. "Put your bag down and let's hurry and go!"

"Go?" I ask. I have a bad feeling about this. "Go where?"

She leans forward like she has some big surprise to spring on me. I guess it's mission accomplished. "We're going camping for two days and one night." She claps her hands together and turns to look at the girls again. "I present you-" She waits until they finish her sentence.

They cringe like they know this won't go over well. "Auto-camping," they say quietly and with about as much enthusiasm as is on their faces. They bow their heads to avoid looking me in the eye. Ha Ni, though, is doing the exact opposite. She's silent, but she's glancing my way to gauge my reaction.

I knew this wouldn't be good. I just didn't realize it would be this bad. "What?" I ask in surprise. I can tell it's written all over my face. "What about school?" Mother smiles big.

"I already called them," she says eagerly. I can tell this is something she's been planning. It's also apparently something that everyone but me knew about. Wait. I wonder if Eun Jo knew about this.

At that moment, my phone goes off. I flip it open and notice Ha Ni doing the same thing. Who would be texting her? Her two best friends are right here. I look down at my phone to see a video being played. It's Eun Jo and father. "Hyung!" he squeaks. "I've been kidnapped!" I notice that father has his arm around Eun Jo's neck so he can't get away. Eun Jo continues yelling. "I awoke to find myself in the car!" Okay, that answers my question. He had as much knowledge of this as I did.

Father comes closer to the camera and says maniacally, "Come out quickly. That's the only way to save your life." I don't think he's done this before. Normally, someone would threaten to kill the hostage, not the person they're threatening. I sigh and shut my phone.

Mother looks at me happily. "Immediately!" she demands. "I've already packed your baggage!" She reaches down and pulls something out of the top of a bag. "Your swimming suit, too!"

I reach up to take it from her before she even finishes her sentence. It's the tiny one that barely hides anything. "Hey," I exclaim. "You're too much, seriously." The doorbell rings and Oh Ha Ni walks over to the intercom to answer it. It's Oh Ki Dong.

"Hello?" Ha Ni says.

"Ha Ni!" he cries. "This girl suddenly says she's coming too!" From my vantage point, I can see someone butt into the frame, though I can't tell who it is. I certainly know, though, when I hear that unmistakably squeaky voice.

"Hello!" she says happily. "I came too!"

"What in the world?" mother exclaims. I can tell she's not too happy. "What is she doing here?" Mother turns and looks at me. I just shrug my shoulders. I have now clue what Hong Jang Mi is doing here. It's not like I could've invited her even if I wanted to. It seems everyone really did know about this trip but Eun Jo and me. Mother sighs. "Well nevermind that. You need to go upstairs and change! We need to be leaving soon." She tosses me a small bag. "Hurry up!"

I give up and march back upstairs to the bathroom. I guess it was pointless to put on my uniform this morning. I start to dig through to find something to wear. I still have my swimsuit that mother pulled out, but I need more than that. Does she not remember that I don't wear just that? That's what goes _under_ the swimtrunks. I fish out a white t-shirt and my jeans from the bag. Slipping the uniform off and putting on the other clothes, I sigh. In a way, I'm kind of glad we're skipping today. I'm still not sure how I want to talk about Ha Ni living with us to the kids at school.

I walk over to our standing cabinet and grab a towel from the stack. Slinging it around my neck, that sweet scent of apple blossoms fills my nose once again. I pause. It's the same scent I smelled that made me go looking for a bottle of perfume. I don't dare go in search of it again. God only knows what I would find this time. I shudder. I fold my uniform up and walk it to my room. I won't be needing it on the trip. Setting it on the bed, I look down at myself. The plain white t-shirt is kind of boring. I walk over to my closet and grab a yellow button-down shirt to wear over it. After sliding it on, I glance to the mirror. Yeah, that's better.

I walk back to the bathroom and grab the bag to bring it back downstairs. When mother sees my outfit, she smiles. "Wow, doesn't he look good, girls?" she asks Ha Ni and her friends. They give a short, sort of nervous laugh without answering. I look to Oh Ha Ni to find that her face has turned a soft pink color. I think I can guess her answer. I shake my head and smile as I walk out the front door to save Eun Jo.

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><p><strong>AN: And hello once again! I hope you liked it! I had a rather difficult time coming up with a name for this chapter, so if you can think of a better one, I'm open to suggestions. And review, please. Silent readers are the bain of my existence! :)**


	21. Episode 4: All Fun and Games

**Disclaimer: No matter how hot Kim Hyun Joong is, I don't own him, his character, Baek Seung Jo, or Playful Kiss.**

**A/N: Let's find out what happens when Baek Seung Jo, Oh Ha Ni, and the rest of the group gets bored on the ride there!**

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><p>Episode 4: All Fun and Games<p>

Could this get any more awkward? It's bad enough that Oh Ha Ni dragged her friends along on the trip (or was that mother's doing?), but now we have miss look-at-me-I'm-a-princess Hong Jang Mi with us. Everyone here in the back of the auto-camper can feel the tension. I'm trying to ignore it by reading a book, but it isn't working too well. Hong Jang Mi keeps trying to read over my shoulder. I guess a thought crosses the barren field that is her mind because she takes her attention off of me long enough to stand up and reach for something.

Sitting back down with a container in her lap, she says to me, "Oppa, do you want some watermelon? I cut it into pieces so it's easy to eat." Before there can be a pause long enough to require an answer from me, mother butts in.

"There's a ridiculous amount of watermelon on the fridge." Her tone is patronizing. I can tell mother isn't happy that this girl came along.

Hong Jang Mi tries to hold her own. She makes a noise like she understands, and says, "But mine is super sweet! It tastes like honey!"

"A watermelon should taste like watermelon. If it tastes like honey, it's honey, not watermelon." I look over at mother. Someone could cut the tension with a knife. Father and Oh Ki Dong get up front. Lucky. Why doesn't Hong Jang Mi just stop talking? I didn't answer her about the watermelon because mother interrupted, but I would have declined regardless. She irritates me. I think she gets the point, though, as I go back to reading my book because she doesn't say another word.

Joo Ri does, though. "But how did you tag along, knowing we were going on vacation?" That's a good question. How did this girl find out about a vacation even I didn't know we were taking? Everyone looks to her in expectation. I keep my eyes on my book.

She starts slowly, gathering her thoughts. "Uh, well, everyone has their ways," she says evasively. I'll probably never know, and neither will the rest of them. There's another pause before she opens her mouth once again. "Oh!" she cries. "There's karaoke in here!" She turns to me. "Should we try out a song, Oppa?"

I think the last thing I would want to do right now is sing. With her. Again, though, mother interrupts before I need to give an answer. "What is this, a tour bus?" she asks. "Why would you sing?" That kind of makes me want to laugh, but I surpress it. Mother is chiding her like she would an obnoxious child.

Oh Ha Ni pipes up timidly. "Then should we play the end letter game?" Mother is suddenly interested and happy once again. She turns to Oh Ha Ni.

"Why that?" asks the princess-wannabe. "It's so childish!"

I can tell this really gets on mother's nerves. "Oh, that seems so fun!" she exclaims. "Ha Ni, that's a great idea!" She turns to the rest of us. "Then let's have the topic be four-character sayings. Min Ah first!"

"Yes?" Min Ah seems to be surprised, but she gets into it. "Ee Shim Jun Shim!" (Tactic understanding)

"Ee Shim Jun Shim?" mother muses. "Shim?" She's thinking so hard I can see steam coming out of her ears. That steam must have pumped an idea up because she practically jumps out of her seat when it hits her. "Shim Shim Pu Ri!" (to kill time), she says.

Eun Jo seems to question mother's skills. "Is 'kill time' a four-character saying, mom?"

"Of course," she says. "Shim Shim Pu Ri!" She enunciates every character as she says it. "Hurry up and do it. If you don't, you'll be punished! You'll have to write your name with your butt!" She enhances her point with a little butt-dance in her seat. I glance up at Eun Jo to see his face. Priceless.

"You're really immature," he tells her.

Mother starts counting to tell him he's almost out of time. "One, two-"

"Ee Shil Jik Go!" (telling the truth) he shouts.

There's a pause that proves deadly for me. "Seung Jo!" mother exclaims. I look up from my book again. This won't end well.

I lay my book down on the table carefully, while still holding onto it. "Are we really doing this?" I ask. I thought we would do one round and be done with it because it would get boring. It turns out mother is really into it.

Both mother and Oh Ha Ni start counting like with Eun Jo. "One, two-"

"Go?" I ask quickly before they can finish. I do _not_ want to be punished. The first phrase I think of pops into my head. "Go Jang Nan Myeong." (it takes two to tango)

Oh Ha Ni has to stifle a laugh. "Go Jang Nan Myeong? What does that mean?" she asks. "It should just be Go Jang Nan Cha instead." (broken car) She has to stifle another laugh, and this time, everyone but Eun Jo is laughing too.

Eun Jo jumps in. "He didn't say Go Jang Nan Byung." (broken disease) he chides. "He said Go Jang Nan Myeong. It means you can't make sound with just one hand." The whole group makes a noise of understanding, even the men up in front.

"You're so smart," Ha Ni says to him. I can tell she really means it, too. She looks at her friends. "Did you guys understand, too?" They both shake their heads.

Eun jo looks between them and Oh Ha Ni. "So stupid," he says. He points between them like his eyes did a moment ago. "Yu Yu Sang Jong!" (Birds of a feather flock together)

Joo Ri and Min Ah ball their hands into fists as if they're about to punch him. Hong Jang Mi tries to hide a giggle. Mother doesn't like that. "Hey, hurry and go," she tells her. "Go Jang Nan Myeong!" Hong Jang Mi tries to think for a moment. "One," mother says warningly.

"Myeong, Myeong," she muses thoughtfully.

"Two," mother warns.

"Myeong Myeong Baek Baek!" (crystal clear) she says excitedly.

The game is getting faster now. Ha Ni starts without any prodding. "Baek?" she asks. She puts a finger up to her mouth in thought. "Baek," she says again.

"One!" says Eun Jo. I can tell he's getting payback.

She spazzes a moment at the pressure. "Wait a second," she tells him. "What starts with Baek?" She seems to be talking to herself.

"Baek?" mother asks. She and Joo Ri seem to be trying to think of something to help her out.

"Two!" Eun Jo cries. "Three!"

"Baek Seung Jo Jjang!" (Baek Seung Jo is the best!) she yells suddenly. It's like the whole group just took a cumulative gasp. Mother turns to Oh Ni with wide eyes.

Did I hear that right? From the group's reaction, I'm guessing I did. I'm not quite sure what to think. They say that whatever pops into your head first is what you've been thinking about. It wouldn't surprise me if she was thinking things like that, but what surprises me is that she would say it out loud. I guess the pressure got to her and she just said what she wanted. I'm guessing, though, that when she was "thinking" about what to say, she already had that sentence in her head, but she was just trying to think of something else so she wouldn't look bad. It didn't work, obviously.

After only a moment, everyone bursts out laughing. I can feel a small smile spread on my face as I glance down at the table. I'm sure she's embarrassed, but she's smiling along with the rest of us, albeit not as amusedly. Her cheeks are turning pinker by the second. I can't help it. The opportunity is too good. I have to tease her.

"You wanted to say those words so badly that you asked to play this game, huh?"

She smiles widely and reaches a hand over Hong Jang Mi to try to hit me, but I move away. "No," she says. "Are you crazy?" Her grin gets bigger. "Hey, there just wasn't anything else to say!" Everyone laughs again, and mother rests a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Ha Ni raises her hands to her face to try to hide her blush, but I've already seen it. In another futile attempt to make it go away, she also tries fanning herself.

Oh Ha Ni, there is no way you will ever live that down.

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><p><strong>AN: Well, everyone, I hope that met your expectations! I thought about adding the scene with the socks onto this, but I decided this one was already a good length. Plus, the socks scene deserves its own chapter, don't you think? ;) Oh, and may I just point out something? Second chapter today! Who's doin' good? MEEEE! :D**

**Let me know what you think in a review! I'll be back soon with another update!**


	22. Episode 4: No Seriously, They're to Wear

**Disclaimer: No matter how stupid my mistakes may be sometimes, I'm not dumb enough to believe that I own Baek Seung Jo or Playful Kiss.**

**A/N: Hey guys! I would like to make an announcement. I am an idiot. It's true. In chapter 18's A/N, I proclaimed proudly that we were finally on episode four. Well, that is true. We were and still are on episode four. The reason I was so excited, however, was because for some reason, I had it in my head that the graduation episode was episode four. Well, after I finished writing chapter 21, I went ahead and watched some more PK. But the farther I got into writing it, the more I kept thinking, "Shouldn't she be working by now? In the graduation episode, she tries getting a job, but it doesn't work out because Seung Jo comes in and screws it up." I skipped ahead to the end of the episode, and low and behold, it was not the graduation episode. And neither was episode five. **

**So I'm sorry, my lovely readers, for getting you all excited. The graduation episode is not until episode six. I, myself, am disappointed, if not because I can't write it yet, then because I still have (most likely considering the rate I've been going) another 15-20 chapters until I get to the infamous scene I was so excited about. However, if you guys are willing to wait with me, then I will trudge on!**

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><p>Episode 4: No, Seriously. They're to Wear!<p>

As we pull into the auto-camping area, mother and the girls start to get up to get their bags. They all start to fish out their swimsuits when the vehicle comes to a stop. Mother looks up at me. "Seung Jo, why don't you take Eun Jo and find a place to change? Us girls will change here." Father and Oh Ki Dong get out to start setting up the camp site.

"Sure, mom," I say. I meet Eun Jo's eyes and nod my head toward the door, silently telling him to follow me. It's been a while, but we've been here once before when I was younger, so I know my way around. Eun Jo was too small to remember. I don't think he was even two years old. We gather our bags and walk out onto the grassy area. "The shower house is this way," I call over my shoulder as I head to our destination. I hear his feet hit the ground as he catches up with me.

"Hyung," he says curiously. I look down at him. He has a strange sort of look in his eyes.

"Yeah?"

He continues to follow me into the shower house with furrowed brows. "Why did you agree to teach Oh Ha Ni? She's so stupid."

Oh wow. That's not what I was expecting him to ask. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. I sigh. Setting my bag down on a bench, I start to unbutton my shirt to change. "Well," I say slowly, discarding the button-down. I reach for the hem of my t-shirt and start to pull up. "How do I put this?" I ask aloud. I pause right as I'm about to slip the shirt over my head. "Let's just say she had an offer I couldn't refuse." I finish wrestling the plain t-shirt off and take out a different one with a design on it. I throw it on and search for my trunks.

"Oh," says Eun Jo quietly. He changes into his swimwear too and we head back out to the camp site.

As we get closer, I can see the girls starting to come out of the auto-camper. It looks like Hong Jang Mi decided to wear a bikini. That is . . . a lot of skin. I try to get my eyes to focus on something else before she notices. Of course, my savior would be Oh Ha Ni. She steps out right after and has on probably the least-revealing swimsuit in the history of swimsuits. She's wearing some sort of tankini with a tank top underneath. Well, that definitely fixed my reaction to Jang Mi's, _ahem_, wardrobe.

We walk over to a bench and sit down. The adults sitting at the table with drinks in front of them seem to be talking about something to do with Ha Ni. As I reach for my bag to get my iPod out, I hear Eun Jo. "What is it, Oh Ha Ni?" I assume she must be looking over here. "You have to use a tube. I don't even use one." Ha Ni still uses floaties? It doesn't surprise me. She doesn't seem to be athletic in the slightest.

"Yeah," she replies. "I can't swim very well."

"Seung Jo?" I look up to see mother calling me. "Doesn't Ha Ni look pretty? So innocent. Doesn't she look just like a high school student?" Is she serious? She is a high school student. And no, she doesn't even look like one.

"She looks more like a child," I say. I'm trying to get my headphones untangled, but they don't seem to want to work. The adults laugh a little at the comment, but I don't think mother can stand to see Ha Ni unhappy. I can, though, I think as I reach into my bag again. I search around to find what I'm looking for.

"You're pretty, Ha Ni," she whisper-yells. "You're the prettiest!" I'm still looking through my bag.

"That's right," interjects father. "Ha Ni is the prettiest!" Aha! I found them! I close my fist around what I need.

It seems even Oh Ki Dong has to get in on it. "Our Ha Ni's type is a bikini!" Pulling out both pairs of socks, I smile to myself. This is going to be too good.

"Body type," father corrects him.

"I mean body type," he says cheerily.

I stand up with the socks in my hand and walk over to Ha Ni. "I forgot," I say to her. Her friends are looking at me curiosly. They probably won't get it. But I'm sure she will. I bring my hand up and hold both pairs of socks in front of her. "You need these," I tell her.

She takes them with a puzzled look on her face as I bend down and get a drink from the cooler. I walk away and hear Joo Ri. "What's this?" she asks. "Oh, they're socks." I can feel a grin start to form on my face as I think about how long it will take before she gets it.

"Why is he giving you these?" Min Ah asks. I take the drink back over to the bench were Eun Jo is still sitting and hand it to him. I sit back down and root through my bag some more for my book.

I can't believe it takes her this long, but I finally hear her yell. "Hey!" she screams as she starts to run toward me. Before she can make it two steps, though, she's laying flat on the ground with only one shoe still on.

Oh Ki Dong jumps up. "Ha Ni!"

"Oh my," says mother worriedly. "Ha Ni!"

She hasn't moved yet, and she gave a little cry when she fell. I almost don't, but I decide to ask. "Are you okay?" She whips her face around to look at me. Her brows are knitted together in anger and the fire in her eyes could melt a glacier. Maybe five.

"Hey!" she screams again. She pushes herself up faster than I think I've ever seen her move. I know I'm in trouble, and I don't try to stick around. I drop my book and jump up. I run through the tent and check back to see how far she's gotten. I'm surprised to see that she's actually fairly close behind. That is, until she trips on the tent and falls again.

God, she's really a klutz. I'm not totally heartless, though. I walk back and offer her my hand. "Are you okay?" I ask. "Nothing happened, right? Those socks were for you to wear." She screams in my face again and starts scrambling back up. I know a bad situation when I see one, and I hightail it out of there.

"You better come here!" I hear. I run behind some bushes and turn around to find somewhere else to run. To my surprise, not to mention horror, I find a wild Oh Ha Ni running towardsd me with a sandal in her hand, ready to fling. I run back past her with a quick fake-out and feel her throw the shoe towards my feet. She screams. "Baek Seung Jo!" It doesn't phase me too much as I run past our campsite towards the beach.

As my feet hit the sand, I've left the rest of the family long behind. I can still hear her feet slapping the ground as she runs after me. I'm somewhat surprised that she hasn't given up yet. I run past some kids making a sandcastle and towards an old boat lying on the sand. "Baek Seung Jo! I'm going to kill you!"

Oh Ha Ni is close behind, and I can tell she's going to try to cut me off by going around the other side of the boat. An idea strikes me and I suddenly stop and run back towards her. I can tell she wasn't expecting that. Her eyes go wide and she freezes, not sure what she should do. She doesn't think too long, though, before she decides that the best idea is still to run forward to get me. "Seung Jo!"

I make sure to slow down right before I get to her. I don't want to run her over. She stops just short of me and nearly falls again. I reach out without even thinking about it to catch her. She pulls me down and we both end up laying on the sand, panting from the run. I notice that my hand has landed on her waist during the whole thing. Without really trying, I notice that while she may be small, she has some curve to her. Before I can even try to move away, though, she's hitting me! Ha Ni is up on her knees and hitting me! I'm still laying on my side from the fall and there she is, just beating away. I can tell it takes quite a bit of effort from the noises she's making with each blow. I turn onto my back and reach out to grab her wrists. Those fists do more damage that I would've thought.

Her eyes lock with mine as she struggles in my grip. "What are you doing?" I ask her irritably. We're both covered in sand and she's not too happy that I've caught her. I struggle up onto my knees as well.

"Hey, Baek Seung Jo," she growls. "What was that all about back there?"

"What?" I ask innocently. I try my hardest not to show the smirk that's threatening to break through. "I was just giving you some socks to wear." She struggles again.

"No you weren't," she says bitingly. "You were mocking me! I know it!"

Oh, she just set herself up. "How was I mocking you?" I ask her. I'm surprised she didn't see this coming. I guess, though, it is her we're talking about.

"Well, y-you were m-making fun of when I-" She stops.

"When you what?" I ask impishly. I can see the blood flooding her cheeks and feel her struggle a little less while she searches for words.

Her thrashing comes back with a vengence as she finds them. "You know what I'm talking about. Don't act stupid!" We're still on our knees facing each other, and I'm trying my best to keep us upright. She's not making it easy, though.

I have an idea. "Hey," I say while still fending off her attacks. "Stop for a minute, will you? I have something to say!" She huffs and crinkles her brow, but slows to a stop for the moment. I take this as a cue to proceed. "How about this. You stop hitting me, I'll let go of your hands, and we can go back and pretend it was all a mistake. Does that sound like a deal?" Her mouth drops open in surprise. I can tell she's not too keen on the idea, so I say, "Or I guess if you really want, we could keep wrestling until they get curious and come over here. And trust me, by then, we will not be in a safe position anymore. Do you really want your father and everyone else to see that? No one has to know anything."

Sure, it was a threat. But for a moment, her eyes light up as the picture forms itself in her mind. I can tell, though, that she isn't too happy with the idea of everyone seeing that. She _tschts_ her tongue. "Fine. We'll do it your way." She lets her arms go limp so that the only thing holding them up was my grasp. "Seung Jo. I said I would do it your way. You can let go now." I look down and notice I still haven't released her arms.

"Right," I say, quickly dropping one of her wrists. I stand up and pull her up with me by the grip I still have on one wrist. I drop it before we get too far, though. The whole walk back to the campsite, I hear her footsteps behind me. They're short and angry. I can tell she's not happy, and I'm sure she's cursing me behind my back. That thought makes me smile as I walk in front of her. She's probably making faces at me right now. That just makes my smile even wider.

I reach the campsite and sit back down on the bench like nothing happened. Oh Ha Ni does the same by going back to her friends. Everyone is silent as they wait for some sort of explanation. I pretend I don't notice and grab my headphones. Before I put them in, though, I look up with a mock-surprise look on my face. "What?" I ask. "It was just a misunderstanding. Don't worry." I look at Ha Ni and she nods carefully. Her face is an unconcerned mask, but I can see that she still has fire in her eyes. I'm sure that will manifest itself later on.

"Yeah," she says slowly. "A misunderstanding." I go to put my headphones in when normal conversation resumes. Eun Jo looks up at me before I do, though, and asks me a question.

"Hyung, did anything happen over there?" I smile.

"Over where?" I ask.

"Behind the boat. You two ran that way and disappeared."

"Oh?" I ask curiously. It hits me. They couldn't see anything. The boat blocked their view of us during our squabble. Interesting. I wonder what I would've done if I'd had that knowlege five minutes ago. "Nothing happened. We just came to an agreement," I tell him simply.

Putting my headphones in, I disconnect from the world. I glance toward Oh Ha Ni and think. Her eyes definitely had a spark in them when I suggested we keep on wrestling. I start to wonder if the family wasn't there, what she would've chosen. Would I have given her a choice? I shake my head with a smirk.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update! You know how it is. School started again and such. And plus . . . I watched two more kdramas since I last updated. I watched Heartstrings and Secret Garden. I will just say this. If you like PK, I think you will absolutely love Secret Garden. Honestly, I think it might have just tied with PK, and that's hard to do since PK was my first. **

**Oh and by the way, I totally tried to upload this last night, but the website was being all like "NO, I WON'T LET YOU LOG IN." So yeah. Blame it.**

**Anyway, I would love to know what you think in a review! Until next time!**


	23. Episode 4: Only One Thought

**Disclaimer: In no way, shape, or form do I own any part of Playful Kiss. Not in a square, not a triangular prism, nor a dodecahedron, thankyouverymuch.**

**A/N: My poor readers. My dear, sweet, poor readers. I have neglected you and shoved you into a dusty corner, haven't I? I deeply apologize. I could blame it on the business of my life, but really, I'm not all that busy. It just came down to laziness, and my momentum running out. I lost interest for a while, to be completely honest.**

**While many of you may have forgotten me, and I don't blame you, I know for sure that at least two people are still with me, and hopefully more. You all have been so supportive and I just want to hug each and every one of you. Each review just sends a huge smile across my face and I am so appreciative of all of your support. But enough of the mushy stuff. Let's get to the meat and potatoes! (Wait, but potatoes are usually mushy too... Oh well!)**

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><p>Episode 4: Only One Thought<p>

"Oppa!" I turn. Jang Mi is running towards my quiet spot in the sand with a big pink ball in her hands. "Wanna play catch?" she asks, still a distance away. I try. I really do. But despite my best efforts, I cannot look at her face when she's running like that. The ball covers most of anything interesting, but there's enough. She can't tell from this distance, though. By the time she makes it to me, I've regained control. It might help that she's not bouncing up and down anymore.

"Wanna play?" she asks again. She's slightly out of breath from the jog. I don't know how she found me. I picked a sandy spot a fair distance away from the family to bury my toes in. She holds up the ball and tosses it to me. I smile and nod.

"Sure," I say. I throw it back and we start a game of catch. Sometimes we miss throws and someone has to run and get the ball. After a little while, we end up near the beach. I throw the ball to her.

"Oops!" The ball flies past her. She runs into the waves to retrieve the ball and I notice Ha Ni and her friends not too far off. "Seung Jo oppa!" I turn my attention back to Jang Mi. She hits the ball but it doesn't quite make it to me. It's intercepted by a little rascal named Eun Jo.

"Hyung!" He throws it to me with a smile on his face as I walk over to him. I think that kid is trying to get Jang Mi's attention. I smile at the thought. At least I taught him well. I toss the ball back to him. I'll throw the kid a bone.

Jang Mi runs up behind Eun Jo and ruffles his hair. "Good job," she tells him, still holding the back of his neck. I see the blush in his cheeks before I turn around and walk back up the beach. Before I can get too far, though, I feel an arm snake through mine and I see a tiny bikini-clad girl next to me. I knew she wouldn't let me go for too long. "Oppa," she says sweetly. "Let's go sit down for a little while."

I nod and let her lead me back to the family's spot on the beach. We sit down and rest for a little while, eating watermelon and talking to mother and Oh Ki Dong. Father walks over from playing with Eun Jo and sits down with Oh Ki Dong. An idea hits me when I see them like that.

"Father, you should let Eun Jo bury you and Ha Ni's father in sand." Eun Jo's face swivels towards me. I can see the glint in his eye as the gears turn in his head. I knew that once the idea was in the kid's head, he wouldn't let go.

"Can I?" Eun Jo asks father as he turns back to face him. "Really?" I can tell that father is having a debate with himself. I know that he's pretending to be annoyed, but also that he's deeply amused. He turns to his friend.

"What do you say? Want to let ourselves be covered?" Ha Ni's father smiles.

"Why not?"

Eun Jo lights up at his words and runs to go dig out some spots.

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><p>After Jang Mi and I help bury father and his friend, Jang Mi taps my shoulder. "Oppa, can you show me where the bathroom is?"<p>

"Sure." I smile and begin a walk towards the restrooms. We seem to get back at the perfect time. Mother is just calling us in.

"Kids! Come have watermelon!" I'm vaguely aware of Eun Jo being behind us, but the thought quickly goes away when I realize Jang Mi's hand has suddenly grasped mine, and the thought is brushed aside as I try to extract myself. Her hand settles on my arm instead. Mother continues. "Ha Ni! Come!"

As we pass the bench Ha Ni and her friends are at, they all get up quickly and start towards camp. Ha Ni realizes, though, that she forgot her floaty, and stops abrubtly. "Wait a second," I hear her mumble. Jang Mi and I continue towards mother with the promise of sweet watermelon in our heads.

"Baek Seung Jo," says mother sweetly. "Would you like some watermelon?" I roll my eyes at her obvious attempt to get me away from Jang Mi, but smile and take some anyway. Jang Mi decides to sit next to mother with the other girls. God only knows what they would talk about. Every girl here can't stand her. Neither can I sometimes, but that's beside the point. I take my slice of watermelon and walk over to the next umbrella to sit down and eat it. Before my hands get all sticky, I grab my iPod and put it on shuffle.

The watermelon must be different than the kind we had earlier. It's sweeter and I think it has fewer seeds. Or maybe it's just because I'm eating it without a certain pest hanging off my arm. Who knows? After a few minutes of muching, I see Go Min Ah and Joo Ri hand-feed watermelon to father and Oh Ki Dong. I wonder why Oh Ha Ni isn't doing that herself. My eyes scan the coast for her. Movement in the water catches my attention. I see two people bobbing up and down, flailing wildly. Ha Ni and Eun Jo. What kind of game are they playing out there? More bobbing. More flailing. I think back to earlier when Eun Jo criticized her about using floaties.

_"Yeah, I can't swim very well."_ Her voice floods my brain as the words sink in. My heart clenches. That's no game. I wrench my headphones from my ears as I scramble to get up and off the sand. My heart is a wild bird, my ribs, its cage. With each leap I take towards the shore, its wings beat harder and harder until it feels like the bird is going to break its cage and soar right to that drowning girl. Distantly, I hear someone scream something. I think it might be mother, but I'm beyond listening. Her words are lost in the cacophony of my rushing blood and racing heart. I dash across the sand towards the water. My feet seem to be made of lead, and I just can't get there fast enough. There's only one thought taking up any space in my head. _She can't leave me!_

Water surrounds me as I splash my way towards her. Go Min Ah is right behind me, rushing towards Eun Jo. I wrap my arms around Oh Ha Ni and sigh in a short-lived moment of relief to feel her presence. Go Min Ah and I trudge towards the shore with our charges. It's a struggle to stay upright with Oh Ha Ni clinging onto me. "Just stay still," I tell her curtly. She's squeaking and crying and barely walking, she's so shaken. Before I can get six steps out of the water, I feel her start to collapse and her death grip on me doesn't loosen. She pulls me down with her, and I don't have the energy to fight it. The crying continues, and she wraps an arm around me, searching for some sort of comfort. I can tell she's not even caring what's going on. She's just looking for something to hang on to. At the moment, I can't bring myself to shake her off. Whether it's from the lack of energy, or something else, I don't question it, and I wrap my arm around her middle, clinging back.

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><p><strong>AN: So what did you all think of my return? It's difficult to get back into the swing of Baek Seung Jo's character. This chapter was already half written, so I think I kept comparing myself to my normal style. I'm sorry if this felt wonky, but I'll try to do better on the next chapter. Anyway, let me know if you're still a fan by leaving me a review! Then I can thank you all personally for sticking with me!**


	24. Episode 4: He Knows What He Wants

**Disclaimer: However unfortunate it may be, Baek Seung Jo and Playful Kiss are both beyond my ownership.**

**A/N: So a big thank you to everyone who reviewed my last chapter! I appreciate it so much that you all stuck with me, and there's even a few new names! Thank you!**

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><p>Episode 4: He Knows What He Wants<p>

"Wow, this looks so good!" Jang Mi plops herself down beside me. I swear, that girl is attached by some invisible string, it seemed like. The barbeque does smell good, but her presence here taints it. What is she wearing? Eau de Sewer? Whatever it is, I'm grateful for mother's interjection.

"Seung Jo," she calls. I turn. "Get some water for Ha Ni too. Make sure it's warm." Great. I get to play servant.

"I'll give it to her," Jang Mi volunteers brightly. I cringe. You would probably poison it, you stupid girl.

Mother seems to think the same. "Oh, no, no. Jang Mi, you cook the beef." I'm fine with that. Let's just hope she doesn't burn it. Or drench it in her Sewer perfume and make it inedible.

"Pardon?" Jang Mi seems confused. I guess she really isn't all that smart. Mother can see past her small attempts to weasel her way into my life. I don't think mother will let that happen. So I don't try to stop Jang Mi. Eventually, other things will stop her, and for me to try is pointless and unnecessary.

Mother notices that I haven't moved yet. "Baek Seung Jo," she calls quietly. "Hurry up." I realize that I won't get out of it, so I stand up. Taking my gloves off from barbequeing, I saunter over to mother to grab a cup before making my way to the mobile home to get a bottle of water.

Inside, the RV is roomier than I remember it being today. Earlier, there were so many people packed in here. Now, with just me and my thoughts in here, I decide to take a minute to think. I set the cup down on the counter and take a seat on the bench. What happened today? I remember eating watermelon and listening to my iPod, but then it's kind of confusing. I remember seeing Oh Ha Ni and Eun Jo. Then I got scared. Eun Jo can swim, but he's not that great of a swimmer. But I don't remember thinking that. At all. What was I thinking? It all goes kind of blurry if I try to remember what I was thinking about. All I can really remember of my run was that my heart was racing faster than my feet, and it felt like I had left my stomach back at the umbrellas. I had to get to the shore. I had to get to the water. I had to get to her. Hell, maybe I left my brain back there too.

I realize that mother will be wondering where I am soon, so I fill Ha Ni's cup and pop it in the microwave. Before the microwave can screech out it's annoying beep, I take the cup out when it's hot enough. I walk out of the mobile home towards the porch where I last saw Ha Ni. The closer I get, I notice that she's not alone. Her father is with her, and it looks like a serious conversation. A blanket is draped around her shoulders, and I see pained looks on both of their faces. Should I interrupt? I think to myself how much it hurts to have almost lost Eun Jo today. I can't imagine the pain Ha Ni's father must be going through. I decide to give them another minute before I walk up next to Oh Ha Ni.

Oh Ki Dong's face is buried in his daughter's hands, and it sounds like he's crying. I clear my throat to announce my presence, and he looks up quickly while trying to compose himself. I politley ignore him to give him a minute. I turn to Ha Ni. "Do you want some water?" I ask her.

Her eyes shine up at me through dense lashes. There's no smile on her face, but there's a look of what seems like reluctant gratitude. She gives me a small nod and I hand her the cup. I doubt she's all that cold with the weather as nice as it is, but she wraps her hands around the warm mug regardless. Her father stands up with a sigh. He pats my arm while looking me in the eye. "Thanks so much, Seung Jo," he says sincerely. "What would have happened if you weren't there?" I glance at Oh Ha Ni and see those bright eyes again before she lowers them back to her mug. I shift my attention back to Oh Ki Dong.

"Oh, it was nothing," I say. He may be grateful, but I wasn't doing it for him. Or was I? I guess for all I know, I could have, because I don't have a clue what made my heart race like that.

"For that, I will pay you back with a killer dinner," he promises. I know he doesn't have to do anything to pay me back, but I also know that I wouldn't be able to stop him if I tried. So all I do is smile and nod slightly. He looks to his daughter with a final nod before playfully hitting my arm and walking away.

My eyes follow him until he disappears behind a corner and I swivel my head back to look at Oh Ha Ni. Crazy girl. "You can't even swim, and you dive in with no fear!" I can't believe her.

Her brow crinkles and her mouth is pouty. "What was I supposed to do?" she asks without looking at me. "I was yelling, but no one could hear me." I know I would have done the same thing, but I know how to swim. I don't know what I wished she had done.

"You are an accident-prone trouble maker," I tell her sincerely. She purses her lips like she doesn't want to hear it. "After meeting you," I continue, "there's not a single quiet day." I can hear the anger rising in my voice. I don't know where it's coming from, though. Am I angry? Yes. Why? I think about it for a second. I don't know.

"Why are you being mean again?" she pouts. Her eyes go down to her mug, out to the sea, and anywhere but me. "I'm still sick," she says.

Ha! Sick? More like stupid! It's her fault. "Sick," I say matter-of-factly. I'm the one who's sick. I'm sick of this feeling I can't place. I mean't what I said. Nothing has been quiet since I met her. There's constant chatter in the house, and there's this little voice in my head that was never there before. I can't really tell what it's saying, but it gets stronger every time I see her. And that feeling that I said I couldn't place? It's that feeling from the night I shielded her eyes from that flasher, or how the rock in my stomach made my heart beat faster when we exchanged P.E. uniforms and I had her up against the tree. I don't want to know what's causing all this. I have a feeling in my gut that I won't like the answer.

My savior comes in the form of a scream. It sounds like one of the girls back at camp, loud, high-pitched, and screechy. I'd bet my little brother that it was Hong Jang Mi.

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><p>Bong Joon Gu. I just can't believe it. He'd seriously followed us. That's devotion if I've ever seen it. But I don't really pay much attention to him after he shows up. I leave the group of giggling girls to find my guitar. Playing just gives me a sense of calm. I feel like I need that right now.<p>

The case is in the men's tent, and when I walk in to get it, I see Oh Ki Dong with a crossword puzzle. I give a small bow as I walk across the tent to get the case. He gives me a smile, but there's something else there, too. Sadness? No. Watchfulness? No, not that either. It almost seems like pity, but I don't know why in the world he would pity me. I try to shake off the feeling as I walk back out of the tent towards a bench along the sand.

I open the case and reach in for my guitar. Sitting on the bench, looking at the stars reminds me of a simple melody my father taught me when I was younger than Eun Jo. He said it was a song about a very powerful man who fell in love with a young woman, but never got the chance to tell her because she left with another man before he got the courage. As I quietly strum, I sing the words in my head. I never really liked the story, but the song sounds nice. It just seems like the man in the song was just too much of a coward. And cowards don't deserve songs written about them.

I'm in the middle of the chorus when Joon Gu walks up. I glance up towards him, but I don't stop strumming. I feel like I still need the guitar's magic powers right now. He sits down next to me with his hands in his pockets. Is that my cardigan?

"You know how to play guitar too?" he asks in disbelief. I don't answer. He's not very perceptive if he doesn't notice how I slinked off to be by myself. "I borrowed some of your clothes," he continues. So yes, that is my cardigan. I still don't answer. Doesn't he get it?

"Yeah, so I hear you saved Ha Ni," he says, looking at the stars. No, he doesn't get it. I stop playing and fold my arms over the guitar. "I should have come a little earlier." He seems to be talking to himself more than me, so I let him continue. "Well, I guess you did your fair share." Wait, what? Fair share? Nothing obligated me to go save her. Wait. Nothing obligated me to save her. But he would've felt obligated. Isn't that a burden, always caring for another person? I'm curious.

"Did you come all the way here because of Oh Ha Ni?" I ask him. He answers without thinking.

"Of course I did! I don't care if you're a prodigy child. You're still a puberty-stricken eighteen-year-old. I don't know when you'll change into a beast, so I've got to watch you day and night!" Puberty-stricken? Beast? His words make me picture a teenage boy growing fangs and wings and stalking a girl, but the superhero flies in to save her at the last minute. The thought makes me smile. Maybe Go Min Ah should make a cartoon of that. Ha Ni told me she likes to draw.

"What, why don't you just move into our house, then?" I ask him. Then he could protect Ha Ni from the likes of me and my ferocious self all the time.

There's a pause, and he slowly turns his head towards me. "You have an empty room?" he asks quietly. He thought I was serious? I glare at him. There is no way I would ever let him live in the same house as me. I brush the question off by going back to playing my guitar. He sighs in exasperation and wags a finger at me. "I'm warning you!" he says. "Don't you dare make a move on her! Remember that I'm always watching from somewhere. Got it?"

"You like Oh Ha Ni that much?" I ask before I look him in the eyes. The question throws him off guard for a moment.

"Man, if you ask me that directly, it's a bit overwhelming," he mumbles. It looks like he may even be blushing. He brushes his fingers against his cheek like it's hot. It looks like I'm right. "Whatever I become, I need to hurry up and get a job," he says. "My dream is to make Ha Ni happy."

He knows how to make me smile. "Yeah," I tell him. "You and Oh Ha Ni look good together." I really do believe that, but for some reason, the words almost get stuck in my throat.

"Really?" He asks excitedly. "You think so?" He laughs. "You're an exception, Baek Seung Jo."

"You mean unexpected," I correct him.

"Whatever," he chuckles casually. It's moments like these when I remember why he's in the bottom class. "You have some taste," he tells me. I'm not quite sure what he means by this, so I don't respond. I notice I've stopped playing my guitar again, so I start strumming as he talks. "That's right, Ha Ni doesn't look good with you. Doesn't matter how much Ha Ni likes you. That's like playing with fire for a while. Baek Seung Jo, let's be friends."

This kid just doesn't stop talking, does he? He chatters away long after I've tuned out. I think back to my first question to him tonight. _"Did you come all the way here because of Oh Ha Ni?"_ He didn't even have to think about it. He knew what he wanted. I remember his warnings to stay away from Oh Ha Ni. He has one goal in life. To make her happy. And he feels like he knows how to do that. For once in my life, I feel like I might admire the rooster. He knows what he wants in life. I wonder what that feels like.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello my dear readers! I feel like I got a better grip on my normal style now. It may not be perfect, but I feel like it's a lot better than the last chapter. Let me know what you think! **

**Oh, and P.S. I might go back and rewrite chapter 23 when I get a chance. It may not be soon, though.**


	25. Episode 4: Shut Your Mouth!

**Disclaimer: I can only claim to be a fan, nothing more than that, and nothing less. This means that I do not own Baek Seung Jo or Playful Kiss.**

**A/N: And hello again! While some of you may be disappointed, I have made an executive decision. I am skipping the parts where Ha Ni and her friends ask Seung Jo to tutor them just because it seems rather boring and I want to skip ahead. Okay? Let's get started!**

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><p>Episode 4: Shut Your Mouth!<p>

"What should I do? What should I do?" I hear mother all the way from the living room. She scampers by me, all flustered and confused. "What should I do?" she asks again to no one in particular. Within minutes, she has Eun Jo dressed and they're headed out the door. "Father is heading there too," she tells Ha Ni and me as we follow them to the door. She turns to us. "So you two figure out your own dinners, alright?"

I get to the door and see Eun Jo pouting. "Why isn't Hyung going?" he whines. He bends down to fix his dress shoes. I wonder what the big emergency is that they have to dress up for.

Mother bends down and says, "Hyung is a senior. He has to study." She turns to Ha Ni and me. "Don't come out," she tells us. "You two stay here!" Before Eun Jo is really done, she's pulling him off the porch. "Hey, hurry," she tells him. Ha Ni follows them down the driveway.

While she talks to mother, I turn on my heels and head upstairs. If we have to handle dinner on our own, someone has to do something soon, and I don't feel like cooking. It's close to dinner time. I get to my room, grab my wallet from my dresser, and head downstairs again. By the time I'm back, Oh Ha Ni has come back. "Where are you going?" she asks. She looks surprised to see me again.

"I'm going to get food."

"I'll make it!" she exclaims. "As a thank you for today and yesterday," she says sweetly.

I can feel my eyebrows raise. I'm definitely surprised. "You're going to?" I ask apprehensively. She slaps my arm. Slaps me!

"What's wrong with you?" she asks. What's wrong with me? What's wrong with her? You don't just hit a person like that. "Though I look like this, I'm Oh Ki Dong's daughter," she boasts. I don't know how much stock I put in that, though. Her father is a great cook, but for some reason, I get the feeling that trait wasn't passed down.

I sigh. "Alright, fine." She squeals.

"Really? I can make dinner?" The smile on her face is a mile wide, and I can only imagine what's going through her head. I shoot her a look.

"Well, not if you're just going to stand there," I tell her. She snaps to attention.

"Oh! Right." She turns around and scurries toward the kitchen. As I watch her go, I notice something. That skirt. Did I really call her legs short? She rounds the corner into the kitchen until she's beyond my line of sight. I shake my head. What am I thinking? These thoughts are worse than the thoughts I had on the walk to school that morning. I shake my head again to clear it before turning around and heading back upstairs.

Rounding the top of the stairs, I hear Ha Ni in the kitchen muttering to herself. God only knows what that girl has planned. I walk across the common space to the bathroom when I see something in her room. It's sitting on her bed, harmless and lifeless. A teddy bear. I check over my shoulder to make sure she's still downstairs, and slowly walk into the room. I pick the bear up from her bed to get a better look at it. It's yellow with green overalls, and it looks like it's seen better days. It makes me wonder how long Ha Ni has had it. Did someone give it to her when she was a little girl? Maybe her mother? I imagine the stories this bear could tell of Oh Ha Ni. I wonder how many of her tears he's seen, and how many smiles. With a smirk on my face, I set the bear back on her bed like I found it, and walk out of the room. How pointless is a teddy bear? Stupid girl.

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><p>After a whole hour passes, I can't stand it anymore. I've read, I've played with Eun Jo's toys, and I even cracked open a textbook! What can that girl possibly be doing? I decide that it's time I intervene. I open my door and march down the stairs. That's when I notice the smell. Is something burning? I fly down the stairs. "Hey," I call out. "Are you going to give me food or not?" I stomp through the living room to find a smoke-filled kitchen and a very flustered Oh Ha Ni. I think I scare her because she backs away from the stove and drops something. I can hardly breath because of the smoke, but I manage to choke something out. "Hey, what the hell is this?" I ask.<p>

She looks at me like she's a small child who's been caught doing something she shouldn't. "I'm sorry," she murmurs. She makes a pinching motion with her fingers. "It's burned just slightly." I can feel a glare on my face, and I know I'm staring daggers. She tries hiding behind her greasy spatula, but she's not getting away with this. She scurries off to get plates prepared with the food (can you even call it food?) that she made. Grabbing both the plates full of burnt stuff and sets them on the table, then comes back for me. I see her duck behind me, and next thing I know, I'm being pushed towards the dining table and into a seat. She shuffles across to the other side.

I feel a headache starting, and I try to keep calm. "What the hell is this thing supposed to be?" I ask her, my voice strained.

"Hawaiian Loco Moco," she says timidly.

I give her a breathy laugh that means it's not funny at all. "Hawaiian what?"

She tries making a dance with her hands. "Loco Moco?"

I stab at the meat in front of me. It's been cut into the shape of a heart? What are we? Newlyweds? "This is only slightly burned?" I ask her seriously. I'm worried what she would think is blackened. "This is not dinner," I tell her. "This is just mush."

She leans forward with her hands under her chin. "Why?" she asks. "You don't like mush?"

I can't take it anymore. She's trying to make a joke out of this? I slam my hands on the table and stand up, pushing my chair back in the process and almost knocking it over. "Hey!" I say. "Are you telling me to eat this right now?" Her eyes lower to the table and her hands fiddle with the table cloth. She doesn't respond.

I sigh. "You know what, just stay here," I tell her. I grab the two plates and walk them to the sink. She'll have dishes to do later. I open the fridge and start to grab items. I hear her chair scrape as she gets up to follow me. I knew it would do no good telling her to stay. "If you're not going to stay put," I say, "make yourself useful. Get me a big bowl and a small bowl from the cabinet." Hopefully, she can't mess that up. Unless she drops them. "And set the table while you're at it. We're not barbarians."

I set a skillet on the stove and turn the stove on. The wall behind the stove is covered in soot. How in the world did she manage that? I don't even ask, as she hands me the bowls. I break four eggs in the big bowl and put some cut up bacon the small bowl. It looks like we're having omelettes. I whisk the yolks and whites together until they're blended, then dump half into the skillet. I do the same with the bacon, and dump it all on a plate when it's cooked. Same goes for the other one.

Ha Ni watches me do the second one and gasps. She's too easily impressed. "When do we have to put this on?" she asks, holding the sauce.

I take the bottle from her. "Just bring the water," I tell her. I don't want her messing up dinner a second time.

"Yes," she says quietly. I can tell she's trying to be nice since she made so many mistakes. Too bad I don't care. I take the two plates over to the table and sit down to eat. As she sits down with the water pitcher, she gasps again. "Wow," she breathes. "You're amazing. It's just like the ones in a restaurant."

I'm already eating when she finally picks up her spoon and tries a mouthful. "It's really good!" she exclaims with her mouth full. "How did you cook the egg so it's so soft? And so quickly! It didn't even take thirty minutes!"

I don't even glance up when I answer. "Because I'm smart," I say simply.

"Huh?" she asks.

My eyes meet hers from under my bangs. "Cooking is all smarts too," I tell her. I tap my head for emphasis. You have to memorize recipes and know what flavors go together. It's simple to most people, but then again, most people have a brain.

"Ah, really?" She seems curious. "Then my dad must be super smart." She goes to take another bite, but stops. "Then is Bong Joon Gu smart too?" she asks. I feel my spoon stop moving as I glare at her. She doesn't notice, though, and keeps on talking. "Joon Gu is really good at cooking too," she tells me. Doesn't she notice my white knuckles whenever she says his name? I can't stand that rooster.

I can't really bring myself to care about what Bong Joon Gu can or can't do well. "Whatever," I say, trying to brush off the conversation.

"Really?" she asks. "He sold dduk bokk gi and ma tang for the festival and it was totally good!"

"Hey, is dduk bokk gi a meal?" I ask her. Doesn't she appreciate the food right in front of her? I could have just made one for myself, and here she is, talking about someone else's food?

"It's those types of food that are the hardest," she says defiantly. "Dishes eaten by a lot of people. It's hard to accommodate each person's tastes. Even the ma tang. The outside was really crispy and the inside so very soft." She looks at me for support. "You know how typically it's really mushy and sticky?"

That's it. I've had it. If she can't shut her mouth talking about Bong Joon Gu's food long enough to actually eat what's in front of her, she should go call him to make her dinner. I slam my spoon down on the table and stand up, taking my plate with me.

"You're already done?" she asks me, a look of astonishment on her face. The only response I give is grabbing her plate and carrying them both to the sink. "I only had a spoonful!" she cries. Well then you should've shut your mouth and ate more, I think to myself. The truth is, I would've liked more too, but I wasn't going to sit there listening to her yammer about someone I can't stand. I toss the dishes in the sink and turn to her.

"Clean it all up, and do the dishes too," I tell her forcefully. As I walk out of the kitchen, I hear her mumble something about a spoonful again. I'm beyond caring, though, as I huff my way back upstairs. I'll have to come back down later to get a snack because I can still feel my stomach growling. But for now, I'm just going to go to my room and wait until she's in hers to sneak down.

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><p><strong>AN: Aren't you all happy with me? TWO UPDATES IN ONE DAY! OH YEAH! Is my happiness showing? GOOD! Because I am happy with myself. Well, to an extent. I used this entire chapter as a way to procrastinate homework. And the second half of the previous chapter to. And that homework is due tomorrow. After I've had all of spring break to do it. Oh well. Looks like I'll be scrambling in the classes before that, then.**

**Anyway, let me know how happy you all are with me in a review! I mean what you think of the chapter? :D Seriously. Do it.**


	26. Episode 4: The Dream

**Disclaimer: Seung Jo is not mine. Playful Kiss is not mine. It's all not mine, okay? Deal with it! I have.**

**A/N: Well, I figured out a solution to the homework problem. I stayed home sick. Terrible, I know, but I did not feel like going. Plus I stayed up too late last night. So yeah. Anyway, on with the story!**

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><p>Episode 4: The Dream<p>

Well, tonight was a fiasco if I'd ever known one. I lie on my bed, staring at the cieling. Grabbing one of my pillows, I stuff it behind my head and sigh. Mother, father, and Eun Jo still aren't home. It's already ten o'clock. Where could they be? I decide that I really don't care all that much, and get up to get ready for bed. I walk over to my closet pull down an old t-shirt and a pair of sweats. It's one of my favorite t-shirts. I remember using it as a sleep shirt when I was Eun Jo's age. The material is soft and worn, and just how I like it.

I slip my day clothes off and slide into the pajamas. I decide that since Ha Ni is in her room, I can finally go back downstairs for that snack I wanted. I crack open the door and peer across the hall to her door. It's shut tight, and I don't hear any movement behind it. Did she go to sleep already? I pad my way to the stairs after shutting my door, and start to make my way down.

When I get to the kitchen, I grab some bread off the counter while looking around to survey the damage. It's bad. I can tell Ha Ni tried to clean up, and the dishes are done, but that stove still looks horrible. I sigh. Can't she do anything right? I finish my bread and grab a sponge from under the sink. Filling a bowl with hot, soapy water, I dip the sponge in it and get to work. Mother does enough. I don't want her coming home to this.

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><p>After cleaning up the kitchen and going back to my room, I collapse on the bed after turning off the light. I'm done for the day. My eyes start to flutter closed as I feel a breeze pick up and blow over my face. My eyes open wide again. Breeze? Did I leave the window open? I look towards it. Sure enough, the window is wide open, although I don't remember opening it tonight. I brush the feeling aside, and decide that mother must have opened it earlier today, and I just didn't notice till now. With that thought, my mind starts to go fuzzy, and I curl up and pull the blanket over me. It's time for sleep.<p>

Where am I? A castle? I look around me and see that I'm surrounded by cold, gray stone. I seem to be in some sort of throne room, and I look around for the throne. I see guards and a long carpet in front of me before I realize that I must be sitting on the throne. I'm confused. I turn to a guard on my right. "Excuse me," I ask quietly, so as not to disturb the quiet around me. The guard leans in, gesturing for me to continue. "Who-" I pause. "Who am I?" I ask him.

The guard stares at me for a moment as if I've grown wings. He regains his composure, though, before responding. "Sire, you're the king," he tells me. My eyes go wide, and my mouth goes dry. I nod slowly, letting him know that I understand. I try to keep my wits about me, for it seems that I'm supposed to be the one in control. Before I can really compose myself, however, the doors to the throne room fly open with a bang.

In walks the most beautiful young woman I've ever seen. Just the sight of her makes my heart nearly pound right out of my ribcage, and I feel my hands and cheeks become hot. If anyone deserves an entrance like that, it would be her. The guards make no move to stop her as she parades down the carpet towards me, as if she's done this many times before. She stops in front of the throne. "Sire," she says, self-assurance evident in her voice. "I would like you to know that I have found my dress for tonight's ball. The royal dressers have laid it out in your chambers for you to approve, but I think it will be more than satisfactory." She stares at me, her eyes meeting mine in what I'm sure is not proper behavior of a lowly servant to a king. This makes me believe even more that she's probably someone important. She is, however, obviously awaiting an answer.

I shift in my chair. What do I say? I decide to play along. "I will inspect it when I get back to my room. Until then, you are dismissed." She nods curtly and spins around and sashays back down the hall. When the door shuts behind her, I turn to the same guard. "Where can I find the court physician?" I ask him quietly, so that he is the only one who can hear me.

"I can have him escorted to your room, sir," he tells me.

I think on it. Yes, that seems to be the best option. "Yes, please do so immediately. Oh, and one more thing," I tell him. He nods, a curious look on his face. "You mention this exchange with no one, do you understand?" The young man nods again as he walks away out a side entrance. I decide to use my position for a moment. "Guards!" I boom. Everyone turns. "I would like to be escorted to my room, now." For a moment, the men look confused, but quickly set up a party to lead the way. I follow.

Once in my room, I find a very old man sitting in an ornate chair by the window. As soon as he notices my presence, however, he stands up slowly. There's something familiar about his face. "Sire," he says as he gives me a short bow.

"You're the court physician?" I ask him to be sure. He nods gracefully. "In that case, you must listen to what I'm about to say, and you must repeat it to no one, and give me any information that I ask for. Do you understand?"

The man's eyebrow raises, and he nods again. "I understand," he says.

"Good," I say. I walk over to the chair opposite him, and gesture for him to sit down as well. He does. "I have lost my memory," I tell him concisely. "I have no recollection of who I am or who anyone else in this court is. Now, I have worked out that I am the king, and that people do what I say, but I have some questions. First of all, who am I?" To his credit, the man didn't look nearly as suprised as I would have thought.

"You, sire, are King Wong Soo Gu. You are thirty-five years old, and you enjoy hunting game in the nicer months." I nod, taking it all in.

"Second question, then," I say. "Who was the woman who came to the throne room just now? She said that her dress was in my chambers awaiting my approval."

The physician's face spreads into a small smile. "That would be the Lady Kim Shi Dong," he says happily.

"And what is the nature of my relationship with her?" I ask him curiously. I seem to want to know everything I possibly can about this woman.

"To the outside world," he begins, "she is merely a lady of the court. However, sir, if I may be so bold, you have confided in me in the past that she is the one who holds your heart."

I can't say I'm surprised. My heart was obviously straining to go to her and leave me behind when I saw her earlier. "And have I confessed to her yet?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "I'm afraid not, sir. You told me that were not yet ready." He looks like he's afraid of some form of retribution, but I am not focused on him any longer. What I am thinking of is something completely different. Why does this story seem so familiar? And why do I get the feeling that I never will confess? As I'm thinking these things, a melody pops into my head. It's simple and flowing, and it seems very familiar, although I don't remember ever having heard it.

Before I can say anything else to the old man, I find myself transported. I'm now in a large hall, nearly bursting with people in bright garments of red, blue, purple, and every other color. I don't seem to be dancing, though. I am holding someone's hand and leading them away from the dance floor. My eyes trail my arm all the way down to my fingertips, which rest underneath a gloved palm. My eyes once again trail that arm back to its owner, and what I find nearly takes my breath away. It's her. It is Lady Kim Shi Dong, the woman who holds my heart. The same heart as the one that seems to have made its way into my throat, blocking any words I wish to speak.

I realize that we are not headed towards the dance floor, but away from it. We move towards a small alcove, away from prying eyes. "Sire," I hear. That voice. I turn to my right to find her looking at me. Because I don't trust my own voice right now, I merely nod with my head towards the alcove as if this is nothing but routine. She understands and doesn't fight it.

After we reach the alcove, I step into it with her. If she's alarmed by the close quarters I've put us in, she doesn't show it. Anyone passing by would have a view that should not be available of a king and a lady, but that thought is far from the front of my mind. "Kim Shi Dong," I say after clearing my throat. I notice the informality of my speech. I don't correct it. "What are you doing to me?" I ask her.

The lady cocks her head to the side. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't believe I know what you're talking about." Regardless of my informal speech, she still addresses me royally. I expected as much.

I squeeze her hand gently after noticing that I am still holding it. "Why are you pulling on my heart like this?" I ask her. Her eyebrows creep up her forehead and her eyes go wide as my meaning dawns on her. "You seem to have captured my heart, and I can't contain it any longer."

"Sir," she whispers, a shiver in her voice. "I don't think it's quite appropriate to-" She can't seem to force out any more words with my lips pressed on hers. I've almost surprised myself, actually. Almost.

She stands frozen for a moment, rigid like one of my guards. I pull back for a moment to gauge her reaction. Her eyes are still open, and her posture is like stone. I drop her hand and instead place my hant at her waist while leaning towards her again. When our lips come in contact this time, she doesn't pull away, and I can feel the moment her eyes close because her body actually moves towards me by an infinitely small degree. I can tell this is new for her, and I use my hand on her waist to gently pull her closer. Her body is less rigid now, and her lips start to move against mine. I feel a warmth spread through me in that moment, and my tongue darts out of its own accord to swipe across her lower lip, begging for entrance. She gasps, suprised at my boldness, and I use that opportunity to-

My eyes burst open. I'm in my room on my bed. What just happened? Was that all a dream? I don't move, afraid that if I do, every shred of magic from the dream will be lost. Something must have woken me up, though. What was it? I'm pondering this when I hear someone in my room.

"What's this?" says a voice. "He only reads the original editions?" I slyly cast my eyes down to the foot of my bed where I see none other than, of course, Oh Ha Ni. What is she doing in my room? And what is she talking about? She looks down at something and shakes her head. Trying to be sneaky, she stands up slowly, on her way out of my room. But wait. That voice that she used. That soft whisper. Where have I heard that before? Not in my waking hours, surely. It was more recent than that. I think hard for a moment.

_"Sir, I don't think it's quite appropriate to-"_ No. It couldn't be! The woman in my dream. It was the same voice as the one that had just graced my ears.

While Oh Ha Ni is turned around, I silently sit up in my bed. I have to know. Before she can make her way too far from my bed, I reach out and grab her wrist. Her gasp seems too familiar, as if that was part of my dream as well. It sends a shiver down my spine to know that it was. Her eyes widen when she sees me awake. Those wide eyes. That voice. That gasp. The realization hits me like a freight train. Oh Ha Ni was the woman in my dream.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello lovely readers! Guess what. This one kind of got away from me. I started out with the best intentions to solely write the bed scene, but guess what. I got wrapped up in Seung Jo's dream. Don't worry, though! You will get your highly-anticipated scene! In the next chapter. Aren't I evil? :) Oh, and ten points to anyone who can tell me the connection between Seung Jo's dream and chapter 24! AND you have to include how the connection is different from chapter 24. If that makes any sense. If not, you'll understand when you read the next chapter. Promise! I love you all, and don't forget to review!**


	27. Episode 4 to 5: Soundly

**Disclaimer: Guess what. Here's a bit of news. I don't own Baek Seung Jo or Playful Kiss. Shocking, I know.**

**A/N: So guess what everyone! You're about to find out the connection between chapters 26 and 24! Lucky you! Here we go!**

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><p><em>Recap:<em>

_While Oh Ha Ni is turned around, I silently sit up in my bed. I have to know. Before she can make her way too far from my bed, I reach out and grab her wrist. Her gasp seems too familiar, as if that was part of my dream as well. It sends a shiver down my spine to know that it was. Her eyes widen when she sees me awake. Those wide eyes. That voice. That gasp. The realization hits me like a freight train. Oh Ha Ni was the woman in my dream._

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><p>Episode 4 to 5: Soundly<p>

It takes a moment for the idea to sink in, and it's a hard pill to swallow. My heart flutters like it did when I saw her walking into the throne room just moments ago. My voice comes out far more normal than I feel, though, when I say, "What are you doing like a thief?"

She hesitates. Her mouth opens and closes as if she were a fish trying to suck in water, but finding only air. Silly girl. You're not supposed to be a fish. You're supposed to be a snail. Noah's snail. "That's not it," she says timidly. "I had to look for something."

She's not a very good liar. I give a short, dry laugh at the thought. What could she possibly have left in my room? "Do you expect me to believe that now?" I ask her. I'm still holding onto her wrist, and I can feel her pulse quicken at my words. "Of all times, when no one is in the house but the two of us," I continue, disbelief evident in my voice. "you suddenly have something to look for?" I know I sound like anything but a gentleman, but I think that dream may have done something to me. The whole situation has this odd quality about it, as if I may not remember it as well when the sun comes up.

From the little light there is in the room, I can see the same woman from my dream is standing here in front of me, and I can't imagine what I'll think of this in the morning. My head is a little foggy, but from the mist appears a single thought. Will she respond to me like she did in my dream?

She's trying to slink away from me, but I gently squeeze her wrist with the grasp I still hold. I don't acknowledge it, and pretend it was a twitch, but I hear her gasp. "No, real-" Before she can finish, I pull her down on the bed by her wrist, this time not even pretending I don't know what's going on. She screams in surprise. Distantly, as if it's unimportant, I hear something crash to the floor. I don't pay much attention to it. I'm sure I'll find it later.

My eyes follow hers as she falls next to me, and before either of us realizes what's happening, I'm lowering myself down towards her, our faces less than a foot apart. She looks scared, surprised, and nervous. But what's that? There's something else. It's just a flash in her eyes, and I have a hard time reading it. Could it be terror? No. She knows I'm not violent. What is it? It hits me, though, when I realize what any girl with a crush would feel right now. She's excited. I can tell she's trying to hide it, but she is. I can hear a smile in my voice when I speak. "Bong Joon Gu said that we're all puberty-stricken eighteen-year-olds." Could it be that Ha Ni is just as puberty-stricken and beastly as every other teenager? Is that why she came in here on this night when only the two of us are in the house?

She seems to be ignoring my words, though, when she asks me, "Wha- what are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" I ask her. "Isn't this why you came in here?" There's that flash again. It shoots across her eyes like a bullet, there, then gone.

"What?" she asks curiously. She can't quite seem to look me in the eyes, though, as she continues. "No way!"

I decide I don't care anymore. "What's it matter?" I ask. It's not like anyone would know. And besides, I can't seem to shake the thought that arose from the fog. _Will she respond to me like she did in my dream?_ "We're the only two in the house right now," I tell her. Her wide eyes only serve to remind me of that small alcove. Along with our proximity to each other, it's all I can do to remind myself that I'm not there. I hear her clutch something close to her chest, but I can't tear my eyes away from that face to check and see what it is.

"S- Seung Jo, why are you doing this?" she stutters. I find myself leaning closer and closer to those lips of hers, the ones in my dream that were so soft and warm. "Seung Jo!" she squeaks out. I ignore her protests and lean closer. We're only a few inches apart when she stops me. She makes a noise that I know means "Hold on," and places her hand against my chest. Has she been this warm the whole time? I distantly wonder if she can feel my heart beating. It hasn't gotten any calmer from her being so close to me. She casts her eyes away from mine, probably in an effort to regain some composure.

"First off, we" She pauses. "should date soundly."

I have my answer. What was I thinking? This is not the girl from my dream. That girl was wild and daring and strong. That was not Oh Ha Ni. All the confusion of my feelings is released in that one moment. A grin spreads across my face. "Soundly?" I ask, barely able to keep from laughing in her face. "When was that word ever used?" My grin is so wide that it hurts my face, but I can't get rid of it. I pull myself up and off of Oh Ha Ni. Sitting up on the bed, I know that it's getting harder and harder not to laugh. She sits up next to me. Her expression breaks me. I let out a chuckle. That leads to more laughter, and pretty soon, I have to get up and go collapse in the chair next to my bed I'm laughing so hard. "Soundly," I mutter to myself. I don't know what it is about that word, but it definitely sobered me up from whatever drug that dream put me under. That word is my savior.

I realize that the woman in my dream must have been someone else, but as dreams go, the true person took the form of another. Ha Ni stands up and runs out of my room faster than a train. I watch her go, but don't make any move to stop her. I'm thinking back to my dream. A powerful king. A young woman. Love. A confession. I remember now why the story seemed so familiar to me. It was the story of the song. It was the song my father taught me, and the melody had transported me through the story. Although, there was never any confession in the song. The powerful man never told the young woman what she meant to him. I think about it. Hm. I guess that I'm just the type that has to say something, no matter what the norm is. When I feel something, I have to acknowledge it.

I notice something on my bed. It must be whatever Ha Ni was holding that I couldn't bring myself to pay attention to. I pick up the object, which turns out to be a textbook, and scan the page. Before I can look at it too hard, though, Eun Jo opens the door.

"Oh, you're here," I say. I'm surprised. I didn't hear them come in.

"What?" he asks. He looks behind him, then back at me. "What's with Oh Ha Ni? Her face is really red."

"Really?" I say. I can't see Ha Ni in the hallway, but I doubt Eun Jo is lying. I decide to feign innocence. "I wonder what's wrong." I sit down on the bed and pull the book back into my lap to get a better look at it. What I find makes me smile. There are pictures of Ha Ni and me holding hands and kissing. There's even a picture of just me. Little words are written all over the page like "Sweet," "Kind," or even "Cute." It's like a little girl's notebook. It's almost . . . well, cute.

That's when I remember something crashing. I scan the room and notice a pile of Eun Jo's toys on the floor. They're next to the couch. What had they been? I think about it for a moment. That's it! A sphere! I'd made a sphere, and it had broken when I'd pulled Ha Ni down onto the bed. How fitting, I think. If any night were to bring the world crashing down, this would be it. Nothing about this night seems normal in the slightest.

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><p><strong>AN: Stupid Seung Jo. "When I feel something, I have to acknowledge it." YEAH RIGHT! You're completely ignoring what you feel! Oh well, I guess there's hope for you yet. You called her cute. Well, her drawings at least. Anyway, I hope you all liked it, and now that you understand the connection, I hope it all makes sense. Let me know what you think in a review!**


	28. Episode 5: Heartbeats

**Disclaimer: You know what's not mine? Baek Seung Jo. You know what else isn't mine? Playful Kiss. So quit asking!**

**A/N: You guys ever have one of those days when you don't even have the energy to push down the gas peddle? Yeah. It's one of those days. I'm just all sorts of sluggish today. Anyway, I hope you like the chapter!**

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><p>Episode 5: Heartbeats<p>

_Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick._

I was about to murder that clock. Why is it so loud today? And when did it get so stuffy in here? I look around me. Seriously, no one notices that damn clock? Apparently not. Everyone has their nose buried in a book, and I can't even bring myself to get out a pen. All I can do is sit here with my head on my hand, staring off into space.

_Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick._

Okay, that's it. I need a break. I shoot up from my chair, which makes a loud scraping sound on the tile. Marching towards the front of the room, I hear a smaller scrape that could mean someone wants to follow me, but I don't turn around. I don't want anyone following me. I make my way down the hallway to the outside door. Fresh air is suddenly vital for my lungs.

I make my way out to the courtyard. Sitting down on a bench, I take a look around. This courtyard didn't used to mean anything to me, but for some reason, I like it now. It gives me room to breathe away from other people, and there seems to be a pleasant aura around it that acts like a balm when I'm stressed out. But tonight, even the courtyard is having a difficult time working its magic. I keep thinking back to the conversation in the cafe today.

_"We would love to have you at Parang University."_

Parang University. They're begging me to come, and with a full-ride scholarship on the line, at that. But what would I even do there? They are so sure that I would be successful at their school. Everyone is telling me to go to an Ivy League school in America, or Tae San University. Everyone is so sure that they know exactly what I want. But have any of them ever asked? I sigh. How can they know when I don't even know?

I tilt my head up towards the stars and hear something funny. Crickets. It's not an uncommon sound at this time of year, but for some reason, the sound triggers something in me. It's like there's a little tickle in the back of my mind, like something I should remember that makes the sound important. But I'm drawing a blank, and I can't justify the blush I feel burn across my cheeks. I know no one is out here to see me, but I bury my face in my hands regardless.

My entire decision becomes this: What do I want to do for the rest of my life? The answer? I have absolutely no idea.

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><p>"Aaaaah!" I bolt upright from my bed. Was that Oh Ha Ni? I walk out of my room and towards hers. The door is open and I peek in. She's sitting at the computer desk in full-out panic mode.<p>

"Hey," I say loudly. She doesn't respond. "Oh Ha Ni!" I scream. She turns, eyes wide and shiny and mouth open. "Are you trying to wake up the whole neighborhood? What are you yelling for?"

Her wide, shiny eyes dart back to the computer. "Baek Seung Jo," she squeaks. "The application. It was right here, and now it's gone! I don't know what happened to it! I was working and it shut and I coulndn't do anything and I clicked the message but it said it couldn't reco-"

"Hey!" I yell. I walk towards her desk. "Stop rambling and actually tell me what's going on or I'm leaving!" She looked so upset. What in the world could be this important?

She takes a deep breath to try to calm herself, but it doesn't do much good. "I was filling out an application for Parang University and I was almost done. I was about to send it, when my computer crashed. Seung Jo! Will you help me? Please?"

I look at her. She's spun around in her chair watching my reaction like a hawk, and I can tell she's having a rather difficult time trying to hold back tears. I sigh. "Well, I can't help you if I can't sit down," I say finally.

She screams again. "Really? You'll really help me?" She stands up from the chair and scurries to the side to give me room to sit down. By this time, she's made so much noise that mother and Eun Jo have come to investigate. I sit down at the desk and get to work. I hear mother asking Ha Ni what happened, and I can hear Ha Ni's whines getting louder and louder behind me. It seems like after a while, she doesn't have anything left to say to mother, so she busies herself by sobbing next to me. God, was she always this noisy?

I can feel mother hovering behind me too. "Is it going well?" she asks. I'm still working on the computer, mom. How did you think it's going?

I turn to Oh Ha Ni. "Why did you install so many useless codecs?"

She looks at me for a second with her huge eyes and then turns away. "I didn't," she sobs loudly. It seems like she can't get the crying out of her system. "What do I do? What do I do?" Her voice gets squeakier and whinier with each passing word, but at least now she's starting to drift back towards mother. Good, I won't be losing my hearing tonight. "What do I do?" she asks again to no one in particular.

I'm vaguely aware of mother trying to soothe her. "It's going to be okay, Ha Ni. It couldn't have all been erased."

"In a little bit, it will close," Ha Ni continues to sob.

I turn towards her. Any sort of soothing is useless. This girl is a mess. "Shut up! It's getting on my nerves!"

And that's how you do it, folks. Oh Ha Ni shuts up faster than I've ever heard. Finally, silence, I think to myself. Maybe I can actually fix the problem now. And with that thought and a few more keystrokes, it's back. And she notices.

"Huh?" she gasps. "It's fixed."

Mother chimes in. "Really? What about the written application?" she asks.

I click the next window and bring up another page. "It's there!" screams Ha Ni. She must have gotten out of her chair because she's suddenly by my side and jumping up and down.

Mother can't seem to contain her excitement either when she gets up to follow Ha Ni. "It's there? It wasn't erased?"

"Yes," Ha Ni answers. "He found it!" The next minute is packed with screams and thank-yous and laughs. I don't busy myself with their reactions. I'm more interested in what's on the screen. Community service? Donating blood? This is how she plans on getting into a university? I finish skimming her application and turn to her.

"Stop fooling around, and hurry and apply," I tell her. God, this girl would forget her head if it wasn't screwed onto the rest of her body.

Her smile is as wide as the moon. "Yes," she says sweetly. She tries to sit down as I'm getting up, and I can feel us brush past each other. I don't think mother or Eun Jo saw it, but I felt it. For some reason, I can't seem to feel sorry about it either. Probably because it's her fault. Yep, it's got to be.

I walk towards Ha Ni's bed as mother starts talking. "Oh, that's a relief. Finish up and hurry down so we can eat dinner. Let's go, Eun Jo." She grabs my brother by the hand and tries to pull him out the door. I can tell he doesn't want to go, but my guess as to why is as good as anyone's. Normally, he'd jump at the chance to get away from Oh Ha Ni.

From my position on Ha Ni's bed, I can see Eun Jo give me a look right before he leaves the room that says something along the lines of, "Don't. Do. Anything." I'm not too sure what the look was about, but I think Ha Ni saw it too. She turns back to her computer screen and punches a few keys to bring up the submission page.

Before she sends it, though, I see her head turn slightly away almost as if she's trying to look at me, but doesn't seem to have the courage. "Thank you," she says softly.

I don't acknowledge the comment, but instead, I focus on something else that I remembered seeing on the document. "Parang University social science major?" The skepticism is evident in my voice, for sure.

"Yes," she answers. "Honestly, I don't have much of a chance. My grades are really bad." Yeah, no kidding. I shift my weight onto my elbow so that I'm half-laying down on the bed. When did I get this tired?

"You went that crazy when you don't really even have a chance?" I ask her. She's more insane than I thought. If it were me, I would have just given up. This girl sucks at school, and she doesn't even like it. And why social science? I don't understand the appeal.

"I still have to try doing what I can," she answers confidently. Seriously, it's like nothing phases her. She's so sure that she should go to college that she's willing to try every possible way.

I'm curious. "Why are you going to college?" I notice her yellow teddy bear next to me on the bed and decide to pick it up. It's actually kind of cute.

She half-turns towards me again. "Huh? Why, you ask? To study and-"

"Which you're not good at and don't even like?" I ask, voicing my opinion from earlier. "Why are you going to do it again?"

She turns back to the screen all huffy. "If not to study, I can find my purpose in life," she answers, trying to defend herself. "Find out about what I like or what I'm good at." I'm still holding her bear when I hear her words. To find what she likes. That's what she's going to college for? I think back to earlier in the night when I left the school for the serenity of the courtyard. Wasn't this exact idea what had lead me out there in the first place?

"How would you know if you like something?" I ask the question as much for me as for her.

She turns back to me with a smile on her face, draping her arms over the back of the chair and staring straight at me as if I've finally caught her interest. "There's a way," she says softly. "Your heart starts beating fast." She pauses, as if gathering her thoughts, then places her hand over her heart. "When you find something you like, this, here, starts beating faster." She breaks eye contact with me and casts her eyes down to her lap as if lost in her own world. I slowly realize that I've mimicked her motion, bringing my hand to my heart. To my surprise, it feels a little excited even now. "My dad says that his heart still flutters when he smells noodles drying." She laughs a little at the thought.

There's a short silence, and I can feel my heart skip when she laughs. I pretend it's because she's talking about someone's heart skipping just so I don't have to question it. I sigh and remove my hand from my chest. "I'd like to experience it too," I think aloud. "That kind of feeling."

She turns back to me with a sad expression as her eyes lock with mine for a moment. Even without my hand on my heart, I know something's going on in my chest right now that I really really don't want to think about. I pretend to be impatient to distract myself from the bongos inside my ribcage. "Hurry up," I tell her. She really is going to miss her deadline if she doesn't send that in soon.

I get up and walk away from her bed towards the door. For a moment, I can feel her eyes burning a hole in my back, but then the feeling is gone, and I hear a low, breathy laugh as I walk out of the room. Walking across the hall to my room, I hear her mumbling to herself, and can't help but shake my head. That girl will talk when no one's even listening to her. That's Oh Ha Ni, though. I remember that mother said to come down for dinner after we finished, so I change my course towards the stairs as I think about what just happened.

She said that your heart will beat fast when you find something you like. I think back through the past few years bit by bit. Has there been anything that has excited me? Anything that's made my heart beat like that? I'm drawing a blank until I get to the part where Oh Ha Ni entered the picture. Images flash into my mind. The night I couldn't find her and ended up catching the flasher. The exchange out in the courtyard when we got too close for comfort. When I saved her at the beach. My heart was racing every time. But that couldn't be for the same reason, right? I wasn't excited. The night with the flasher, I was irritated. During the exchange, I was just worried people would get the wrong impression. And I wasn't even thinking when I ran towards the water that day at the beach. It couldn't be. Her theory must be wrong. Right?

I'm downstairs now, and mother is rushing me to get the table set, and I don't have much time for thinking anymore. The thought heads to the back of my mind for now as I settle in for a good home-made dinner.

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><p><strong>AN: And hello again! I waited a little bit because I was on such an uploading binge last time I posted, that I kind of didn't feel like writing after that. But it didn't take nearly as long as my last break. Just be thankful for that. I know I am! :D Let me know what you liked and didn't like in a review! And let me just say thank you to all the people who have been leaving me such in-depth reviews. I really appreciate it, and I wish more people would review like you guys so I get more feedback than just, "It was good." Come on, guys! I know you're all more creative than that! I believe in you!**


	29. Episode 5: Colors

**Disclaimer: I'm running out of creative ways to say that I don't own Playful Kiss or Baek Seung Jo. Hopefully I can think of more ways because we still have a lot of chapters to go!**

**A/N: So guess who's going to try their hand at another original chapter? It fits in with the story and stuff, but they didn't include it in the show, mainly because it's all in Seung Jo's head, so it's not easily portrayed on-screen.**

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><p>Episode 5: Colors<p>

I fall onto my bed after dinner with a sigh. Tucking a pillow behind my head, I roll over onto my side to glance at the clock. It's not even seven o'clock yet. Eun Jo went over to his friend's house for a little while, so I have the room to myself, which is probably a good thing right now. I would probably snap at whoever walked in. No matter how much I try not to, I keep thinking back to my conversation with Oh Ha Ni tonight.

_"Your heart starts beating fast."_ That's what she said to me. No matter how hard I think about it, though, I can't think of anything that gets me excited to the point where I want to learn more. Come to think of it, nothing really gets me excited at all. I get irritated when I have to deal with Oh Ha Ni. I get upset when I think of her moving into my house. I was happy before she came. Nothing ever disrupted my life, and I could just be the genius who everyone liked. But, I think to myself, if you weren't excited by anything, and you weren't angry with Oh Ha Ni, what were you?

The question comes from a little voice in the back of my mind. I can't quite put the feeling into words, but it's almost like some part of me is trying to manifest itself, some part of me that I've never met. The question bounces around inside my head for a little bit before it escapes through my mouth. "What was I before Oh Ha Ni?" I glance around quickly. I know the voice came from me, but I didn't think it would escape at all. I'm just glad Eun Jo isn't here. He would probably just look at me in that funny way he's adopted ever since Ha Ni moved in that tells me I'm not the same.

And he would be right if he were here telling me that. I'm not the same. I'm more irritable lately, but there's something more. It feels like I actually have something to do now. I tease Oh Ha Ni. That's when the thought pops into my head. If having something to do is different, that means I must have had nothing to do before. I was bored. It's simple logic, but for some reason, the idea doesn't want to stick. It seems slippery as if it's something that has been pushed away so many times that it's used to sliding back down a well-worn path into the dark as soon as it's escaped.

Was I bored before I knew Ha Ni? The only thing the answer can be is yes. I've been so busy being annoyed with, confused by, or bothersome to Oh Ha Ni that I haven't noticed the change. But when I compare my life now to a year ago, the memory seems so dull, as if the colors have been drained from it. No, wait. That's not right. It's more as if there were never any colors at all, like I went through life seeing only gray. But thinking back through the memories of the past few months, they're all so bright and full of life. They're so vivid that just thinking about them is blinding my eyes. I've been so accustomed to the dim experience that I've been living that all these new colors are too much for me.

But, says the voice again, isn't a colorful life better than a dull one? I shake my head to try to get the voice out, but to no avail. The answer is no, though. The colors only started invading my life when a certain idiot moved in, and ever since then, my life has been nothing but chaos. Do I really want to continue with that? No.

But then that brings me back to the question of what I do want to do. Should I go to college? Ha Ni's idea of finding something interesting sounds appealing. But again, there's the question of where. There are too many options for someone as smart as me. How do smart people ever do it? Ha Ni and her friends are lucky in a way. They will either go to college or not depending on whether the university accepts them. The decision is made for them. Who ever though being stupid would have it's up-side? I guess the decision of where to go is too big. But if the decision on where to go is too big, why make it? I could just not go. I can get a job like Bong Joon Gu. The idea of sharing something with that rooster sends a chill up my spine, but I remind myself that there are plenty of other comparisons. So it's settled. I just won't go to college.

I hear the front door open and hear Eun Jo tell mother and father that he's home. I realize that I've been sitting in my room for a little over an hour now, and I'm surprised. But that's enough thinking for one night, I think. I stand up and walk towards the door to go take a shower. Walking out of the bathroom is the stupid one herself, and as I get closer, the scent of apple blossoms hits me. I swear, what is this stuff? It seems to just appear out of nowhere!

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><p><strong>AN: Well hello there! I have a few non-playful-kiss-related updates. I took the ACT yesterday! I can't wait to find out my score. :)**

**Also, I have found the beauty of SS501's solo careers. I have the entire Breakdown albumn by Kim Hyun Joong, "Not Alone" by Park Jung Min, and "Let It Go" by Heo Young Saeng. All wonderful songs, and I highly recommend them. "Please" on the Breakdown albumn is a little too R&B for my taste, but it's still nice.**

**And of course I've been watching tons of SS501 videos. I watched a show of them when they were caring for a little boy who escaped from a cult. Dude, that was scary! And I have an entirely new appreciation for Young Saeng. He's adorable. Especially because the little boy really took a liking to him, so they showed his wonderfuladorablelovable side. :D Anyway, I'll stop with the rambling. Tell me what you think in a review!**


	30. Episode 5: God and Typhoons

**Disclaimer: How in the world are you still under the impression that I own Playful Kiss? I do NOT! Nor do I own Baek Seung Jo!**

**A/N: ****안녕하세요****! ****저는 제시까 임니다****. ****(Annyeonghaseyo! Jeoneun Jessica imnida!)**

**So how are all you guys? I know it's been far too long. When I first uploaded this story, I was updating every two days or less. Sometimes multiple times per day. And now I update pretty randomly. I'm sorry about that, guys. I know you like reading and I know you look forward to new stories. I thought I would update more in the summer, but I think I'm busier now than I was during the school year! And to those of you who have been wondering recently when I'll update, I'm sorry. I was out of the country for a month and didn't have any long enough blocks of time to sit down and write. I'll get onto the story now, and I'll blab more at the end of the chapter. :)**

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><p>Episode 5: God and Typhoons<p>

"Seung Jo," Mother calls from the kitchen. I'm in the living room with Eun Jo playing a game. "Can you come set the table?" she asks sweetly. I roll my eyes and tell Eun Jo to clean up the game while I help mother. Grabbing the plates from the cabinet, I smell the food mother cooked, and it smells delicious. "Do you want to try a bite?" she asks me. I nod and give her a smile. She holds up a fork and I swallow a bite of the piping hot dish.

"It's delicious," I tell her as I carry the dishes to the table. Laying everything out takes less time than we imagined. Eun Jo went upstairs to tell father that dinner is ready, so that leaves me alone with mother. She seems to recognize that this situation doesn't occur often, and she wants to take advantage of it.

She leans against a counter while I start pouring myself a glass of water. "Seung Jo," she calls. "Where were you today?" She looks up from the cup of tea in her hands with a small, sad look on her face. "Ha Ni went for her interview at Parang University, and you weren't here to see her off. Where did you go?"

I can tell she really did want me to be there. I don't know if I should tell her. She'll just make a huge deal out of it. She'll think that it's some sort of important milestone or something. I decide to play it off. "I just went off to think." Her eyes about bug out of her head.

"Seung Jo. There was a typhoon outside! Where in the world did you go 'to think?'" She looks at me for an answer. Where in the world is Eun Jo and father? Shouldn't they be down here by now? At least that would give me a reason to avoid answering. Sadly, though, I'm not so lucky.

I think quickly for an answer that sounds plausible. "I went to school," I say, hoping she'll buy it. "I went to the library there to get some information about a few different schools." I'm slightly nervous inside, but it doesn't show. It never does.

She tries looking down her nose at me for a moment, but the result is pretty comical considering the fact that she has to look up at me because she's so short. She ends up craning her head back a little, and I can see the bottom of her nose pointed right at me. I try to choke back a laugh, and I'm mostly successful until I hear Eun Jo. "Mom, what are you doing?" That just about broke me. I don't bust out into the loud guffaw that was bubbling up my throat, but I do end up snickering just a little bit.

Following Eun Jo is father, who gives his wife a look of amusement as he walks to the table. Mother decides that she's made enough of a fool of herself, and shakes the look off her face. Oh Ki Dong walks into the dining room right then and smiles at mother. "It smells wonderful! Where's Ha Ni?"

That seems to alert my mother to Oh Ha Ni's absence. She turns to me. Oh great. I can already see what's coming. "Seung Jo, can you go get Ha Ni from upstairs? I guess she didn't hear Eun Jo." I mentally groan as I scoot my chair back. I just knew it. Why is it that I'm always responsible for her? I swear, she needs more supervision than a child.

I make my way across the living room and up the stairs. As I walk towards Ha Ni's door, though, I hear something coming from the bathroom. It sounds like hiccups and something else. I change my course to lead me towards the sound. I pad across the floor, trying not to make too much noise. I want to figure out what in the world Oh Ha Ni is doing in there before she knows I'm here. The closer I get, the more distinct the sounds get. I can hear water running, probably in the sink since it doesn't sound like the shower or the tub. Every so often, there's also a little scratchy sound, sort of like sniffling. But there's one sound that hits me hard. I stop in my tracks when I hear it. It's her voice. "Why?" it asks. She doesn't sound happy at all. It seems like those hiccups and sniffles were her crying. Oh no. I start to panic. I don't want her to know I heard her. I quickly tiptoe back to the top of the stairs and double back, this time with heavy, loud footsteps that she just has to hear.

It works. I hear her stop the crying and shut the water off. Before I can even get to the door, she opens it and pretends to be surprised to see me. Her face is puffy, but she doesn't seem to be as sad as she sounded. "Oh, Seung Jo. Is dinner ready? I'm starving." She brushes right past me and makes her way down the steps. Wow. If I hadn't heard her crying just a minute ago, I don't think I would've thought anything was wrong.

I follow her downstairs and sit down at the same time as her. Everyone else has started eating already, so Ha Ni and I grab our chopsticks and start chowing down. There's an odd silence around the table, and Ha Ni and I both look up at the others. Mother is staring at Ha Ni pretty intensely. I think in that moment that she might actually think she has mind-reading, laser eyes that can see what Oh Ha Ni is thinking. Good luck with that, mother. Ha Ni seems to realize finally that everyone is waiting for an answer. Did it go well?

She sticks her rice spoon in her mouth and huffily shakes her head. Her eyebrows droop down, and her head hangs dangerously low, the perfect picture of melancholy.

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><p>"Hyung." The voice floats through the dark across the room and settles in my ear. I thought Eun Jo was asleep, but apparently not. "Where were you today?" he asks. I could pretend to be asleep. He can't see my face, and I'm a decent enough actor. He wouldn't know. But I can't do that. This isn't mother. It's Eun Jo. The person I trust more than anything. I sigh and turn towards him.<p>

Looking at his face, I can tell that he is just wondering. He doesn't think there's anything important about the question. That harmless little question is really quite deceptive. That question of his carries a whole slew of other questions that I don't know the answer to. Not yet, anyway. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

He cocks his head to one side as he props himself up on his elbow. "What do you mean?"

I take a deep breath before I begin. I'm actually not even sure how I'm going to explain this, but something is bound to come out. "Eun Jo, have you ever done something or wanted something and you don't know why?"

"Like what?" he asks. His face is curious and rather innocent if I look at it too hard. He's still young, and I can't be sure that he'll understand everything yet. But I figure he's old enough to try.

"I'll tell you where I was today, but you can't tell anyone, okay?" He nods. He understands. "I went to church today."

He looks confused. "But we don't go to church. We're not religious." He's sitting up now and leaning against the wall. I can tell he's pretty interested now. "Is that what you mean? You don't know why you went to church?"

"Kind of," I say hesitantly. "Not quite. It's just that-" I stop myself. This is one of the very few times in my life that I've been tongue-tied. I can't figure out how to put this feeling into words without sounding weird. I can't have Eun Jo getting the wrong idea. "I mean, I went to-"

One of his eyebrows is up in the air, while the other is pushing down so hard that it looks like he's about to close his eye. That is a look of severe confusion that I think may be unique to my little brother. I can imagine that seeing me like this is throwing him off. I can always talk to him about anything. But it seems like I'm-what's the word? Afraid? It sends a chill down my spine to think that's the right word. The second chill comes from what I'm afraid of. I'm scared that my little brother is going to judge me, and judge me correctly at that.

I sigh, and realize that no matter how I word it, or what I say to justify it, it is unavoidable that Eun Jo will think what he wants to. I have nothing to lose as long as he swears he won't tell anyone, so I guess it's time to just come out with it.

"I went to church to send a prayer that Ha Ni gets into the university."

His eyebrows nearly fly off his face when he hears that. There are a few moments of silence while he digests this bit of news. "Did . . . did I hear that right?" he asks quizzically. I nod slightly. "Hyung. Why?" He looks sincerely curious, but the truth is that I don't know why.

I give him a half-shrug. "I honestly don't know. Something just kind of pulled me into the church. But, Eun Jo, this never leaves this room. Are we clear?" He nods again, but it takes him a second, as if he's not sure if he should trust me anymore. I'm not surprised. I feel like I'm going crazy, so I can only imagine how I look to my little brother, the one who knows me best.

He lays back down and fluffs his pillow before putting his head down on the pillow. The conversation is over.

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><p><strong>AN: Please don't kill me! I know this is short, and I'm sorry I've taken so long, but you guys honestly have no idea how long it took me to write just this tiny chapter. My summer was busier than my school year, so I never got time to write. And even when I **_**did**_** get a chunk of time here and there, I would sit down, and only be able to get a freaking paragraph out! I swear to you guys, I have been trying to write this chapter for four months. I was not simply lollygagging around. Promise! But, there was most of July where I was, well, in Germany. And I'm sorry, as much as I love you guys, I still do have a life to live, and I was not going to blow off my host family to go write. **

**Anyway, I appreciate those of you who are still reading, and I would like to take this opportunity to say that I read every review and if you guys want to chat and see how I'm doing, or see what's up, feel free to message me! I love talking to you guys! Even if I don't have the time to write, I still check everything on this site periodically, so I will get back to you soon even if I'm on hiatus. Well, this A/N has been long enough. I love you guys for staying with me! Don't forget to leave a review! You know you missed me, so tell me how much! :D**


	31. Episode 5: Nothing

**Disclaimer: Regardless of how long I've been gone, the status has not changed. I still do not own Baek Seung Jo or Playful Kiss.**

**A/N: Well, thank you to all the people who are still reading! I'm so glad you guys stuck around. Hopefully you'll stick around for a lot longer, and I'll get some new followers along the way. I'm planning on finishing this story, even if it takes me a few years. As of right now, I am planning on going all the way to the end of the internet specials, so that's a ways away. However, just a little warning, I'll obviously have a life to live in the next few years, so there will be times when I can't update. But I think I'll always come back to it eventually. Anyway, on to the story! Oh, but read the bottom A/N for me-news. :)**

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><p>Episode 5: Nothing<p>

I stare across the room at Eun Jo. His breathing is slow and measured, and the room is dark. It's late, but I'm not tired yet. I can't stop thinking about dinner. Why did I tell my parents that I won't take the exam? I mean, I'm not going to, but that doesn't mean they have to worry about it. I'll get by just fine without them freaking out over it. All it's going to do is give them ulcers.

I get up and walk across the room. I toss myself into the seat by the window and stare out the window at the stars. They shine up in the night sky so free, not even noticing all the trivial problems of the people far below them. Why would they? They're giant beasts roaming the universe with nothing and no one to corral them or limit them or judge them. They're absolutely free. They're free of responsibility, of expectations, and of decisions. They just lumber along, not even bothering to notice where they're going simply because they don't have to.

I shift myself when I hear a creak outside my door. Who is it? It can't be Eun Jo. He's already asleep. He crashed right after he learned where I was. Or maybe he passed out from shock. I didn't check. I hear the person shift again.

_Knock. Knock._

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Are you sleeping?" The voice floats over, under, and around the door, but never through. The thin wisps that seep through the cracks between the door and the frame drift towards me with the voice that sounds suspiciously like a nosy Oh Ha Ni.

_Knock. Knock._

"Baek Seung Jo." There it is again. Why is she outside the door? It's late. She should be asleep. I glance at Eun Jo again. I debate for a minute opening the door and telling her to shut up and that Eun Jo is sleeping, but then think the better of it. That would only get her hopes up if she heard me coming to the door. And that is something that can't happen. I'm not her prince or whatever it is she's looking for.

"You're going to take the test tomorrow, right?" she asks. Her voice is low and timid, like she's afraid I'll come bursting through the door with the look of the devil on my face. And who knows? Maybe I still will. Honestly, though, it's a dumb question. Why would I take the test if I'm not going to college? But then again, I remind myself. This is Oh Ha Ni. This is the girl that asks stupid questions and keeps talking even when no one answers her. Like now. "Everyone is worried about you." She pauses. "Especially your father." Her voice is still quiet and almost sad, like it's her pain to bear. That one kind of hurts me, though. I know my father is disappointed. He won't understand, though, even if I tell him. How do you tell your parent that you are just bored with life, anyway? "He keeps noticing you and he doesn't laugh very often."

Suddenly, her voice changes. Where she was soft and sad, now she's bright and cheerful. "You could first take the test and think about college afterwards," she suggests happily like it's this brand new idea that no one ever thought of before. And in a way, I guess I hadn't thought of it like that before. She speaks again, only this time, it sounds like she's scolding me. "What if you suddenly want to do something, but didn't take the test?" I can just picture the way her face looks from her tone of voice, and I don't like it. It sounds like she's frowning. "Open the door for a moment." The doorknob rattles, and I know she wants in. Again, I almost walk over to the door, but this time, it's not to shut her up. I just don't like thinking about her being unhappy. It seems like that frowning voice is going to haunt me for the rest of the night if I don't go over there. But wait. I can't.

"You can do anything," she says softly. "So you have to use your brains for the sake of other people." I sigh. How can she expect me to use what I have for the sake of others? She should know me well enough by now. I'm a selfish creature. I don't care about anyone or anything. That's the reason I'm in this situation in the first place. I don't care about anything enough to pursue it. I hear her voice again, though, even with no response from me. "I believe those who have a lot need to share it. Even though I want to share, I don't have anything, so I can't."

I almost chuckle at that, but I don't. Sometimes she surprises me with her perceptiveness. People with nothing can't share the nothing. "But does she really have nothing?" asks a small voice in the back of my mind? I think about that for a second. Oh Ha Ni is not a person with nothing. She's not the prettiest, or the smartest, or the fastest, but she's not a person with nothing. A person with nothing to share wouldn't be outside my door encouraging me when all I've ever done is treat her badly. A person with nothing wouldn't have the guts to tell me when I'm being stupid like she is right now. And most importantly, a person with nothing wouldn't recognize their lack of ability. They wouldn't have the humility necessary to do so.

"So what _does_ she have, then?" the voice asks. Well, that's not that hard. Is there anyone else outside my door calling me out? She's brave. She's telling the smartest person her school has ever seen that he's being an idiot. She's kind. She wouldn't be doing that if she didn't care. She's unwavering, steady. She refuses to forget about me, however annoying that may be at times. But most of all, she's good. I don't think she could ever be malicious. She could never be cruel and mean like so many people are in this world. So no, Oh Ha Ni does not have nothing. But telling her that? That definitely seems like a task for a night when things make more sense.

So I stay where I am, gazing out my window. I don't pad over to the door like I've thought of so often tonight. I don't open the door to let her in. I keep her shut out, like I always do. She doesn't seem to be fazed, though. She simply keeps talking like she always does. "I'm going to leave this here," she says, her voice almost like a warning. "Eat it before it gets cold." There's another pause before her voice rings out clearly, this time piercing right through the door instead of all around it, her soft voice reaching me like a last attempt. "Also," she says quietly, "See you tomorrow."

I hear a small thud outside the door, and I suddenly have an urge to see her before she leaves. I get up from the window and make my way over to the door. By the time I open the door, though, she's gone. In her place, she's left a tray full of things. I crouch down, waiting to scan the contents until I'm back in the safety of my room. For some reason, I feel vulnerable out here, like someone could see me any second. I carry the tray over to my couch after shutting the door. As I sit down with it, what catches my eye is a small, pink box. I can tell it's been wrapped with care, the bow on top nicely fluffed.

Taking the lid off, I'm amused. The gift inside is so . . . _her._ It's so simple and playful, yet so fantastically right. I pick up the note and chuckle to myself as I read it. "Good luck on the test! Baek Seung Jo is the best!" The hearts around the edges make it that much more childish, but also that much more her. The gift is rather insulting, to be honest. Only she would insinuate that I need to "take a stab" at the test by sending me a fork. Please. As if she doesn't know I could do that test blindfolded.

I'm putting the box away when I hear Eun Jo mumble. "Hyung. What are you doing?" He looks groggy, propped up on one elbow, probably having woken up from a dream.

"Nothing, go back to sleep," I tell him. He furrows his eyebrows at me for a second like he's working on a difficult puzzle. Finally, he slowly lays down again like he's going to forget about it. Right before I turn off the lights, though, I hear him whisper something to the wall.

"What's with his face?"

I walk over to the mirror before turning off the lights. Even with my carefully styled hair and my neat clothes, the face in the reflection is a little off, not quite me. The smile on it is a little bigger than usual. The cheeks are a little flushed. And the eyes. My eyes. They're a little . . . wild.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello my wonderful but deprived readers. Boy, when I started this story, I thought three days was a long time between updates. And now it's been over seven months since my last update. I hope you guys know how sorry I am, but time just kept getting away from me. Senior year is busy! Anyway, my me-news is a little bit of self-promotion. I've had a Twitter for years, but I've never really used it. But now I am using it a fair amount. So if you all would like to follow me, I use the same username as here, TheMidwestJess. I'll put a link on my profile as well, so feel free to visit my page. And if you follow me, you guys should let me know what kind of things you want me to tweet out. Maybe you're interested in my life, but maybe you want to know more about my writing. Let me know, and I'll do it! **

**Also, don't forget to review this chapter! I'd love to see who's still with me even though I've been a bad writer. :( **


	32. Episode 5: Expectations

**Disclaimer: Getting my butt into gear and actually continuing with this mad obsession we all call fanfiction doesn't change the fact that I still don't own Playful Kiss or Baek Seung Jo.**

**A/N: Well hello again, my lovelies. How about today we just screw all the apologies and get on with the story? That sounds good to me.**

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><p>Episode 5: Expectations<p>

"Hyung!" I wake with a start. Eun Jo is standing next to my bed. The look on his face tells me that he's been trying to wake me for a while.

"Yeah, Eun Jo. I'm up." His brow furrows, but he slowly walks away to go get ready for school, mumbling the whole way. Seriously, what is with all his mumbling recently? I make a mental note to talk to him later about it. In the meantime, however, I have a test to take. I groan inwardly as I remember the test. Of course I'll do well on it; that's not my concern. My problem is how do I explain my sudden change of heart? I'm barely ready to admit to myself the real reason. She convinced me. She told me that I was stupid and that this wasn't what a person like me did. She called me out, and that took guts. But I can't tell my parents that. I heave myself out of bed to get ready while I mull the issue over.

Standing up and walking to my closet proves to be harder than I expected. My head feels heavy and foggy, and I feel like I can't possibly be breathing around my stuffy nose. Picking each foot up to take another step feels like hauling around blocks of concrete. This should be fun. Maybe my cold today will level the playing field with the other students taking the test. Maybe some of them may actually have a chance at beating me. I pause my shirt selection for a moment and laugh. Beat me? What am I thinking?

I trudge around the room to try to make myself presentable. Eun Jo is ready before me and marches downstairs to wait with the rest of the family. Before I head down, though, there's one last thing I want to do. Walking over to my dresser, I grab the fork I set there last night and sigh a little in relief. Holding the weight in my hand makes me feel a little better, but I can't quite figure out why. It's like it relieves some sort of pressure that had built up in my stomach. Whatever it's doing, it helps. That's all I need to know. Before I can talk myself out of it, I slip the utensil into my backpack right next to my pencils and head downstairs.

As I tromp down the stairs, the anxious faces of everyone but Oh Ki Dong are shining up at me in anticipation. It seems that my parents don't need an explanation on why I changed my mind. Maybe they never believed me in the first place, that I wasn't taking the test. Or maybe Oh Ha Ni told them that I'd be here. Or hell, maybe Eun Jo just told them I was on my way down. Whatever the case, I'm just glad I don't have to explain myself. Before I can get to the bottom of the stairs, though, my cold rears its ugly head again. I cough a few times. Mother freaks out.

"Is it a cold? Did you catch a cold?" She rushes over to the banister and gives me her worried face.

"Maybe," I tell her nonchalantly. I don't really want her to worry over me today. It's not like there's a reason to. Before I can get that out, though, Ha Ni pipes up.

"Me!" she says excitedly. "I have medicine!" She digs in her bag with no encouragement from me. Not that I would stop her. "It should be here," she mumbles as she paws past all her failed exams and doodles. Finally, she pulls out some tablets and hands one to me. "This one is really effective. It's the best."

Eun Jo comes over with a glass in his hand. "Here's some water."

His eagerness is rather endearing and I lean over and ruffle his hair as I take the water from him. "Thank you," I say sweetly. As I swallow the pill, I notice everyone's eyes on me. It's all a little much for a common cold, but their concern is nice. Ha Ni's face in particular looks strained until she knows for certain that the pill is down my throat and working its magic. A thought hits me then. How can I be sure the magic it's working is the right kind?

"But this pill doesn't cause drowsiness, right?" I ask her. Because of course she would be the one dumb enough to give an already sick person sleepy-time medicine before a big test. Mother gasps and turns to Ha Ni to confirm. Her gasp is echoed by one from Oh Ha Ni herself as she fiddles with the packaging to find the warnings. Her face crinkles and slowly cringes as she reads aloud.

"Do not use in case of driving or activities that require concentration." Of course. She really is that dumb. She panics slightly. "Oh! It causes drowsiness!" she practically yells. The next thing I know, she's coming at my face with pinching fingers and a half-crazed expression. "Throw it up! Throw it up!" she yells, pinching my cheeks and trying to stick her finger in my mouth. I startle and jerk away before she has the chance to gag me.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I ask her, slighly freaked out. I compose myself and continue. "Everything you do is like this anyway," I say. She always messes things up. This doesn't seem to be any different.

Mother gives a small nervous laugh to try to break some tension. And being the wonderful mediator and optimist that she is, she says, "It will be alright. You're strong." I barely contain myself from rolling my eyes before I hear a shout from the kitchen.

"Wait!" We all turn to see Oh Ki Dong shuffling into the room carrying two lunches. "You guys have to take your lunches filled with nutritious food." He reaches out and hands one to each of us with a smile. "I've especially made 'Kiss the Exams' lunches." I assume that means food for acing the test. I'm grateful for the concern.

"Thank you," I say sincerely.

"Thanks, Dad," Ha Ni tells him with a smile and a friendly slug on the shoulder.

My father decides to jump in for the first time this morning as he addresses his friend. "Thanks, man. When did you make something like this?"

Mother echoes his amazement as she marvels at his abilities. "Yeah, thank you so much."

Oh Ki Dong smiles graciously and says, "Oh, it was no problem," before turning to me. "You chose well," he tells me. "Good luck!"

"Yes," I say patiently. His caring and the well-intentioned worrying of his daughter and my family are suprisingly taxing. I keep my brave face on, though, to deal with the onslaught of attention, hoping it doesn't last much longer and I can just get this test out of the way. Before that can happen, though, we have to make it out of the house, which at this point seems like just that small accomplishment will take an act of American Congress.

I'm proven wrong, though, for within the next moment, Ha Ni and her father do some odd little handshake that they seem to enjoy, shout "Fighting!" and that seems to be it. We're done. I'm relieved that I'll be out of the house in only a few moments time. Something about the atmosphere around my family just seems tense with all their expectations. I don't doubt my ability to take the test, even in my not only altered, but impaired state, but the weight of their worrying and anxiety seem to press to heavily on me for comfort.

Oh Ha Ni doesn't seem to feel the same pressure, however, because when we step out of the house, her demeanor doesn't seem to change much. She just continues to look at me expectantly. Great. I may get away from my family's expectations, but as long as she's with me, I won't be free of them entirely.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, so you all were right. It got to a point where I wasn't busy anymore. I was just forgetful. You've waited too long again. But one of you left a review that finally got my butt back in gear. Maybe now I have my muse back and I can actually have something productive to do during the day rather than sit on my butt and wait for someone to call me to go swimming with them. Or sit around and worry about boy problems. So thank you, reviewer who only listed their name as "simmos," without logging in. You were the spark that lit the fire under my butt. And you were right to scold me. Okay, I promise I'll see you all very soon with another update!**


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